In the plane, there is a point particle of mass fixed at the origin. There is another particle of mass whose initial position and velocity are as follows (all quantities in SI units):
If the moving particle travels under the influence of Newtonian gravity, what is the area enclosed by its elliptical orbit?
Details and Assumptions:
1)
, where
is the universal gravitational constant
2)
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Angular momentum of the system is L=1.25, total mechanical energy is E=-0.21875. Therefore semi-latus rectum of the ellipse is l=L^2/(GM(m^2))=1.5625, and it's eccentricity is e=√[1+(2mE(L^2))/(GM(m^2))^2]=0.31640625. From these, we get the values of major and minor semi-axes of the ellipse as a=2.2857142857142, b=1.8898223650461. Therefore the area bounded by the ellipse is πab=13.5704...