Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2009 / ia / Paper 4 / 4A (Dynamics and Relativity)

A central force acts along the line joining the particle to a fixed centre. Taking that centre as the origin, its usual position-dependent form isPositive $f$ gives an outward force and negative $f$ an inward one. For a conventional central force the magnitude depends only on distance from the centre, not on direction. The angular-momentum conclusions below require only that the force remain radial about that fixed centre.

The particle's angular momentum about the force centre is $\mathbf{L}=m\mathbf{r}\times \dot{\mathbf{r}}$. A central force exerts zero torque about that centre, soBy conservation of angular momentum, $\mathbf{L}$ is a constant vector. If it is nonzero, the identity $\mathbf{r}\cdot \mathbf{L}=0$ places every point of the orbit in the fixed plane through the centre perpendicular to $\mathbf{L}$:If $\mathbf{L}=0$, position and velocity are parallel. Away from the force centre, ${\dot{\mathbf{e}}}_r=(\dot{\mathbf{r}}-\dot{r}{\mathbf{e}}_r)/r=0$, so the motion is radial along a fixed line, which lies in any plane containing that line. Thus the zero-angular-momentum case also gives planar motion. As usual, these assertions apply while the force law supplies a regular orbit; continuation through a singular force centre is a separate issue.

With the Sun fixed, its gravitational force on the planet is a central force. In the fixed orbital plane, the transverse acceleration in polar coordinates therefore vanishes:During $dt$, the position vector sweeps an infinitesimal sector of area $dA=\frac{1}{2}{r}^{2}d\theta$. Hence the areal velocity isIntegrating over any two equal time intervals gives equal swept areas, proving Kepler's second law. Here $L$ is the signed component of angular momentum normal to the orbital plane. The argument uses conservation of angular momentum; an inverse-square dependence is not needed for this particular law, only a central force.