Mechanics

8

¹The term “spherically symmetrical”, means a purely spherical object in which the density ρ_m of its mass in the case of a gravitating object, or the density ρ_e of its charge in the case of an electrically charged object, should be a function of the radial distance r from the center of the object. The inverse κ square force law which holds between two point objects of masses M and m, or between two point charges Q and q, will also hold if the point objects are replaced by spherically symmetric objects of radii Rg and Rp, provided the distance r is taken to be the distance between the centres of G and P. If any one of the two objects deviates ...