Reduced Mass

In physics, the reduced mass is the "effective" inertial mass appearing in the two-body problem of Newtonian mechanics. This is a quantity which allows the two-body problem to be solved as if it were a one-body problem. Note however that the mass determining the gravitational force is not reduced. In the computation one mass can be replaced by the reduced mass, if this is compensated by replacing the other mass by the sum of both masses. The reduced mass is frequently denoted by (Greek lower case mu); note however that the standard gravitational parameter is also denoted by . It has the dimensions of mass, and SI unit kg.

Read more about Reduced Mass:  Equation, Applications

Famous quotes containing the words reduced and/or mass:

    Drill and uniforms impose an architecture on the crowd. An army’s beautiful. But that’s not all; it panders to lower instincts than the aesthetic. The spectacle of human beings reduced to automatism satisfies the lust for power. Looking at mechanized slaves, one fancies oneself a master.
    Aldous Huxley (1894–1963)

    The North has no interest in the particular Negro, but talks of justice for the whole. The South has not interest, and pretends none, in the mass of Negroes but is very much concerned about the individual.
    Zora Neale Hurston (1891–1960)