What is Two-body problem?
The '''two-body problem''' is a problem from [[classical mechanics]]: there are two bodies which influence each other. Very often they attract or repel each other. In many cases they rotate. The problem uses bodies which are [[Circle|circles]], or [[Sphere|spheres]]. Solving the problem is possible for many situations, but it usually involves higher level [[mathematics]]. == Simplification: One body has a mass that is much smaller == When one of the two bodies has a mass that is much smaller, the influence of this smaller body on the larger one is very small, and can be disregarded. In such a case, the problem can be reformulated as a one-centre problem, where there is a stationary big body in the centre, and a small body orbiting around the big one. This setting is very comon. [[Johannes Kepler]] was the first person to formulate and solve it. For this reason, it is also known as '''Kepler problem'''. == General solution for the two-body problem == [[Isaac Newton]] was the first person to solve to the general two-body problem. == Three or more bodies == [[Category:Mechanics]] Looking at the generalizations, there are two other problems which are related: * The [[three-body problem]] (three bodies influence each other): This problem can only be solved exactly for few very special cases. It needs to be [[Approximation|approximated]] for the other ones. * The [[n-body problem]]: n bodies inflience each other: No solutions exist for the general case. {{physics-stub}}