StackOverflow2013

Note that there are some explanatory texts on larger screens.

plurals

PO
text
Body
copied!<p>Your formula has problems. You're calculating the gravitational force, and then applying it as if it were an acceleration. Acceleration is force divided by mass, so you need to divide the force by the small object's mass. Therefore, <code>GRAV_CONSTANT * ((mass1) / (distBetweenObjects * distBetweenObjects))</code> is the formula for acceleration of mass2.</p> <p>Then you're using it as if it were a positional adjustment, not a velocity adjustment (which an acceleration is). Keep track of the velocity of the moving mass, use that to adjust its position, and use the acceleration to change that velocity.</p> <p>Finally, you're using acceleration as a scalar when it's really a vector. Calculate the angle from the moving mass to the stationary mass, and if you're representing it as angle from the positive x-axis multiply the x acceleration by the cosine of the angle, and the y acceleration by the sine of the angle.</p> <p>That will give you a correct representation of gravity.</p> <p>If it does nothing, check the coordinates to see what is happening. Make sure the stationary mass is large enough to have an effect. Gravity is a very weak force, and you'll have no significant effect with much smaller than a planetary mass.</p> <p>Also, make sure you're using the correct gravitational constant for the units you're using. The constant you find in the books is for the MKS system - meters, kilograms, and seconds. If you're using kilometers as units of length, you need to multiply the constant by a million, or alternately multiply the length by a thousand before plugging it into the formula.</p>

Querying!

Guidance

An individual column

Larger individual text columns get their own page to allow for proper reading.

SQuiL has stopped working due to an internal error.

If you are curious you may find further information in the browser console, which is accessible through the devtools (F12).

Reload