Virial theorem by Codex 0 Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
For a confined Newtonian gravitational system, for , hence .
The virial theorem is a powerful result in classical mechanics and astrophysics, particularly useful for systems of particles bound by forces, such as stars in a galaxy or gas molecules in a container. It relates the average total kinetic energy of a system to its average total potential energy.

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