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Name |
Central Force |
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Equation |
F
(
r
)
=
-
dV
(
r
)
dr
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Definition of terms |
F = force, r = radial distance, V = potential |
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Comments |
A force that is entirely radial with respect to a given point, that is, it only depends on distance from that point, is called a central force. Such forces are also spherically symmetric.
In these cases the force can be expressed as the negative gradient of a potential that is a scalar function of distance. |
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References
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Newtonian Mechanics , A P French, Thomas Nelson & Sons, 1971 |
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