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Author Topic: Why do objects slingshot away from large mass objects?  (Read 4121 times)

spooksmcgee

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Why do objects slingshot away from large mass objects?
« on: July 22, 2012, 03:59:53 PM »
When I increase the mass of the sun to something like 100 suns, how come objects get pulled to it (as I would expect), but when they get close to the sun they make a partial orbit and then slingshot away out into space.  I don't know too much about cosmology, but wouldn't the heavier mass of the sun pull everything into it and it would explode into the sun?  What makes them shoot off?  Is if the mass of the object coming toward the sun meeting the mass of the sun, and bouncing off like two magnets?

smjjames

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Re: Why do objects slingshot away from large mass objects?
« Reply #1 on: July 22, 2012, 04:09:53 PM »
This should be in the Ubox2 section.

I don't really know the technical mechanics of it, but my guess would be since that they already have forward orbital momentum, there is enough to avoid diving into the star.

Hellpotatoe

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Re: Why do objects slingshot away from large mass objects?
« Reply #2 on: July 22, 2012, 04:10:40 PM »
This should be in the Ubox2 section.

I don't really know the technical mechanics of it, but my guess would be since that they already have forward orbital momentum, there is enough to avoid diving into the star.
yeah, if you put a new object with no velocity it falls on the star

vh

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Re: Why do objects slingshot away from large mass objects?
« Reply #3 on: August 03, 2012, 02:57:46 PM »
one of two things, probably:

either the time-step is too high and objects are traveling through the sun without hitting it, or

as the objects get closer to the sun, they lose potential energy and gain kinetic energy (speed). because they were revolving, they don't head straight towards the sun, but slightly around it. because the potential energy has all been converted to kinetic energy and the planet is moving fast now, it can skip past the sun before being pulled in.

11JRidding

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Re: Why do objects slingshot away from large mass objects?
« Reply #4 on: August 04, 2012, 01:31:28 PM »
Because, well, did you unlock the Diameter by locking the Density first?