Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: Anukshan Ghosh on 27/03/2011 06:27:18

Title: What happens to 2 test masses brought in gravitational field?
Post by: Anukshan Ghosh on 27/03/2011 06:27:18

I believe that they would attract as any other body does but will they combine is the question

Title: What happens to 2 test masses brought in gravitational field?
Post by: Phractality on 27/03/2011 07:33:36

Each mass has its own gravitational field, and the field strength (gradient of gravitational potential) at any point is the sum of the field strengths at that point from all masses. Apply Newton's universal law of gravitation to each pair of objects to determine the force of attract between them. For one object, add the forces of attraction to each other object to determine the total force on the object. Divide by the object's mass to get its acceleration. So yes; the fields combine by simple addition.

Title: What happens to 2 test masses brought in gravitational field?
Post by: imatfaal on 28/03/2011 14:28:03

Three simple bodies with no momentum/angular momentum in empty space might be calculable - but once they are moving and spinning it is far from simple.  Google three-body problem