Informal Version of The Newton n-body Problem
The physical problem can be informally stated as:
- Given only the present positions and velocities of a group of celestial bodies, predict their motions for all future time and deduce them for all past time.
More precisely,
- Consider point masses, ..., in three-dimensional (physical) space. Suppose that the force of attraction experienced between each pair of particles is Newtonian. Then, if the initial positions in space and initial velocities are specified for every particle at some present instant, determine the position of each particle at every future (or past) moment of time.
In mathematical terms, this means to find a global solution of the initial value problem for the differential equations describing the -body problem.
Read more about this topic: n-body Problem
Famous quotes containing the words informal, version, newton and/or problem:
“We as a nation need to be reeducated about the necessary and sufficient conditions for making human beings human. We need to be reeducated not as parents—but as workers, neighbors, and friends; and as members of the organizations, committees, boards—and, especially, the informal networks that control our social institutions and thereby determine the conditions of life for our families and their children.”
—Urie Bronfenbrenner (b. 1917)
“If the only new thing we have to offer is an improved version of the past, then today can only be inferior to yesterday. Hypnotised by images of the past, we risk losing all capacity for creative change.”
—Robert Hewison (b. 1943)
“Glorious things of thee are spoken, Zion city of our God!
He, whose word cannot be broken, Form’d for thee his own abode:
On the rock of ages founded, What can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation’s walls surrounded Thou may’st smile at all thy foes.”
—John Newton (1725–1807)
“The problem is simply this: no one can feel like CEO of his or her life in the presence of the people who toilet trained her and spanked him when he was naughty. We may have become Masters of the Universe, accustomed to giving life and taking it away, casually ordering people into battle or out of their jobs . . . and yet we may still dirty our diapers at the sound of our mommy’s whimper or our daddy’s growl.”
—Frank Pittman (20th century)