Three-body problem

In physics and classical mechanics, the three-body problem is the problem of taking an initial set of data that specifies the positions, masses, and velocities of three bodies for some particular point in time, and then determining the motions of the three bodies.

Description

The three-body problem deals with time and motion in accordance with the laws of classical mechanics (Newton's laws of motion and of universal gravitation).

History

Historically, the first specific three-body problem to receive extended study was the one involving the Moon, the Earth and the Sun.

In an extended modern sense, a three-body problem is a class of problems in classical or quantum mechanics that model the motion of three particles.

See also

• Classical mechanics
• Data
• Position
• Mass (physics)
• Motion (physics)
• Physics
• Time
• Velocity

External links

• Three-body problem @ Wikipedia