How can we prove that gravitational field is a conservative

field?
hurry.tommorow is my paper....................

Best Answer

. answered 6 years ago

The definition of Newton's equation of a gravitational field is: dV(r) = -F(r)

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dr
[Edit]
In polar coordinates
F(r) = F(r, ) = m(dr/dt - r.(d/dt))
If T = kinetic and V = potential energies

T+V=E
if
T = mv

or in polar coordinates
T = m((dr/dt) +r.(d/dt))
so that
E = m((dr/dt) +r.(d/dt)) + V(r)
if we differentiate with respect to 'r' and reduce the result we end up with: m(dr/dt - r.(d/dt)) -F(r)= 0

[Edit]
dE/dr = 0
use l = m.r.(d/dt) (angular momentum = consatnt)
and eliminate d(d/dt)/dr by using dl/dr = 0 as a substitution plus use
(dr/dt).d(dr/dt)/dr = dr/dt
Thus, the force F(r) of a gravitational field is conservative!
Source:

Concepts of Classical Mechanics, L. R. B. Elton, McGrawHill, 1971