Scattering Simulation

WASD to rotate the frame.

Manipulate the parameters to find a suitable trajectory.

Try and find parabolic and hyperbolic flight paths.

Try to find scattering angles > 90 degrees.

Trajectory depends on 3 main components. Mass, velocity, and the impact parameter. We know from the lagrangian, angular momentum is conserved in central force trajectories. Through various calculations we can find rmin, eccentricity and overall flight path.

If we make k>0, this causes the central force to be repulsive. Usually the k constant is determined from physical parameters such as charge values or universal constants such as GMm, but they are all quite similar. With a repulsive central force, and impact parameter, we can turn orbits into scattering.

It is easily seen that to calculate theta in central force orbits is similar to central force scattering.

Created by Craig Scott

UCLA Physics 105B - Analytic Mechanics