Re: NIF: Kepler problem, part I (fwd)

["A. R. Marlow" <marlow@beta.loyno.edu>]

On Thu, 2 May 1996, Rauber, Joel Phys wrote:
> The problem is as follows:
> ...
  and they
> have figured out the centrifugal force law, namely that there exists an 
> outward
> pointing force on a mass in this frame of reference equal to
> mass*const*(distance from coordinate origin) and that the constant has been
>             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 verified by experiment to be (4 pi^2)/(period^2).  Where period is  the time 
> it takes the stars to orbit the coordinate system. (Note: typo existed in 
> previous post) ...

Sorry to bring up a difficulty at this late date, but I simply didn't 
notice it before, and it may just be a typo  --  do you mean this 
force depends on what choice you make for a coordinate ORIGIN, or is it
dependent only on separation between the two masses?  Specifying a 
reference frame in which Earth and Sun are at rest singles out no 
origin, so I presume you mean something else.

A. R. Marlow                          E-MAIL:  marlow@beta.loyno.edu
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