- #1
Contadoren11
- 11
- 0
Homework Statement
I have been tasked with showing "how the mechanical energy of a planet determines the shape of its orbit", and I cannot for the life of me make sense of it. I've run into a formula, see below, but I'm not sure how to interpret it nor if it even applies in my case at all (as E is apparently the total mechanic energy, not just the planet's (or something): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_eccentricity)
Homework Equations
The Attempt at a Solution
None. I'm dumbfounded.
Last edited: