two-body problem
Mutual gravitational dance
The two-body problem is a physics problem that calculates the motion of two objects interacting through gravitational or other forces, like Earth orbiting the Sun.
It has an exact mathematical solution, unlike the notoriously unsolvable three-body problem.
In contemporary slang, the two-body problem describes the difficulty couples face when both partners have careers requiring them to be in different locations: We had a two-body problem when she got the job in Boston and I was tenure-track in Chicago.
- barycenterMutual orbit point
- binary starsTwo stars orbiting together
- orbital mechanicsScience of celestial motion
- elliptical orbitOval-shaped celestial path
- differential equationsEquations containing derivatives
conservation laws · Isaac Newton · inverse square law · escape velocity · conic sections · relative motion · eccentricity · center of mass · planet · angular momentum · satellite · Kepler · moon · star · force · eclipse · dance · Newton
- orbital mechanicsorbital mechanics, eccentricity, inclination, apogee, perigee
- Simplificationsideal gas, frictionless, point source, blackbody, free fall
- academic career challengespublish or perish, job market, peer review, job scarcity, teaching load
- cosmic modelsorrery, planetarium, solar system model, celestial sphere, armillary sphere