Friday, September 29, 2017

homework and exercises - Why are the Lagrangian points $L_1$, $L_2$ & $L_3$ unstable?


Why are the Lagrangian points $L_1$, $L_2$ & $L_3$ unstable? I am doing a physics presentation in front of my class and I am just confirming this is correct, and if it isn't, could somebody provide an explanation.



$F=mv^2/r$ and $v=2\pi/T$


Therefore:


$F=4\pi^2mr/T^2$


$F\propto 1/T^2$ while $r$ is constant.


So if $r$ stops being in the same point as the Lagrange point, then the period of orbit will change and the system will fall out of place.




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