I hear people say that reduced mass, $\mu$, is used for two body problems, but what sort of problems? Is it so that the two body system can be treated as one body or is it to simplify calculations regarding how the two bodies act upon each other?
I can follow the derivation (which I shall go through shortly) in a mathematical sense but I can seem to be able to grasp the ideas behind why the steps were taken.
Derivation:
Step [1] - From Newton's laws of motion: $$F_{12}=-F_{21}$$ It follows that: $$m_1a_1=-m_2a_2$$ Step [2] - Simple rearrangement of the result from step 1 to make $a_1$ the subject (it seems a reasonable thing to do but I don't know why it's done). $$a_1=-\frac{m_2}{m_1}a_2$$ Step [3] - The relative acceleration, $a_{rel}$, can be found by subtracting the acceleration of one body from the other (I get how this is done and get that it would give the relative acceleration BUT I don't know why you would need the relative acceleration). $$a_{rel}=a_1-a_2=(1+\frac{m_1}{m_2})a_1=\frac{m_2+m_1}{m_1m_2}m_1a_1=\frac{m_2+m_1}{m_1m_2}F_{12}$$ Step [4] - According to Wikipedia the result from the last step can be used thus (I have no idea what's going on in this step): $$\frac{m_2+m_1}{m_1m_2}F_{12}=\frac{F_{12}}{\mu}$$ Thus: $$\mu=\frac{m_1m_2}{m_2+m_1}$$
Again, I can do the maths but my problem here is conceptual I believe. I have included the derivation in my question because I believe that it's possible that if you were able to shed some light on why particular steps were taken that this may help.
No comments:
Post a Comment