L4

show

position

velocity

time

2.5

initial positions
 x 1 (0)
 x 2 (0)
initial velocities
 v 1 (0)
linked to fix thecenter of mass
 v 2 (0)

log

2

(

m

1

)

-2

log

2

(

m

2

)

0

This Demonstration shows the position or velocity of two bodies under gravitational attraction, together with the path of a particle at the Lagrange point L4. The L4 point is determined by the initial conditions for the two bodies. The path of the particle is then computed by gravitational dynamics. Under some conditions the L4 path becomes unstable.