Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2001 / ia / Paper 4 / 3A / Solution

For an attractive central force, the transverse acceleration vanishes. In polar coordinates,Thus the specific angular momentum $h=r^2\dot{\theta }$ is constant. Assume $h\ne 0$, so angle can parameterize the orbit, and put $u=1/r$. Primes denote angle derivatives. The chain rule givesThe outward radial component of the attractive force is $-f(u)$. Its Newton's second law equation is therefore $m(\ddot{r}-r{\dot{\theta }}^2)=-f(u)$, giving the Binet equationThe sign reflects $f$ being the positive inward force magnitude. Zero angular momentum produces radial motion and is outside this angular parametrization.