Numerical analysis of planetary motion
- Author:
- Roman Hašek
The numerical approach to the derivation of Kepler’s law from Newton’s laws (of motion and gravity) was introduced in the book Feynman’s Lectures on Physics (three volume book, which was first published in 1963).
This method consists of the gradual numerical computation of coordinates of a planet moving in the gravitational field of the Earth, entering them in the table and their subsequent graphical representation.
GeoGebra has been proved as the ideal environment for the implementation of this method due to the combination of numerical calculations, tables and graphical view required.
A contribution on this topic was presented at the GeoGebra Conference 2011 in Hagenberg.
A corresponding paper Hašek, R. Numerical analysis of a planar motion: GeoGebra as a tool of investigation, was published in the North American GeoGebra Journal, Vol 1, No 1 (2012).