This applet illustrates orbital motion under Newtonian gravity.
The user enters the relative energy and the applet animates the
time-dependence of the relative coordinate, beginning at the point of closest approach.
The unit of length in this applet is the radius of the circular orbit. The unit of
energy is the magnitude of the Newtonian potential
energy at this distance. The unit of time is
the period of the circular orbit.
Instructions for use
- Enter the energy using the scrollbar provided. Click "launch".
- Repeat as often as desired. To clear the screen, click "clear".