English

A mechanical model that exhibits a gravitational critical radius

Classical Physics 2009-11-06 v1

Abstract

Circular orbits of a particle sliding on a frictionless surface of revolution about a vertical axis are unstable below a critical radius if the curvature of the surface satisfies a specified condition. This behavior can be realized in a mechanical model, which give a glimpse of the greater complexity of particle orbits in curved rather than flat spacetime.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.physics/0006075,
  title  = {A mechanical model that exhibits a gravitational critical radius},
  author = {Kirk T. McDonald},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:physics/0006075},
  year   = {2009}
}