- #1
phantomvommand
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- TL;DR Summary
- I am not sure if there is a negative sign in front of the formula for the centrifugal potential energy.
In orbital mechanics, the effective potential is given by ##\frac {1} {2} m r^2 w^2##, which can be expressed in terms of angular momentum ##L## which is conserved.
Yet, https://web.njit.edu/~gary/321/Lecture17.html apparently shows the centrifugal potential as the negative of the above. Deriving the paraboloid shape of some spinning water's surface also involves ## - \frac {1} {2} m r^2 w^2##, instead of ##\frac {1} {2} m r^2 w^2##.
So which is it? What is the difference?
Yet, https://web.njit.edu/~gary/321/Lecture17.html apparently shows the centrifugal potential as the negative of the above. Deriving the paraboloid shape of some spinning water's surface also involves ## - \frac {1} {2} m r^2 w^2##, instead of ##\frac {1} {2} m r^2 w^2##.
So which is it? What is the difference?