Gravitational constant 2026-09-28
The gravitational constant is the proportionality constant in Newton's law of universal gravitation.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2021 iii Paper 316 1 i Solution 2026-09-28
For the relative position , Newton's law of universal gravitation gives the two-body problem in its reduced one-body form,Taking the dot product with the relative velocity givesIntegration therefore yields conservation of specific orbital energy:
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2021 iii Paper 316 3 i Solution 2026-09-28
For a spherical grain of diameter , density , and radiation-pressure efficiency , comparison of the stellar momentum flux with Newton's law of universal gravitation gives the radiation-pressure coefficientFor much larger than the characteristic stellar wavelength, , so . When becomes comparable to the optical wavelength, diffraction and the grain's composition make size dependent and reaches a broad maximum. Deep in the Rayleigh scattering regime, absorption can give and hence nearly constant , while scattering alone gives and hence . A realistic curve therefore rises roughly as toward micron sizes, turns over near the stellar spectral peak, and falls or flattens for still smaller grains.