Graviteitsystemen

Graviteitsystemen refer to assemblies of masses in which gravity is the dominant interaction shaping their motion and arrangement. They exist on many scales: a solar system (planets orbiting a star), star clusters, galaxies, and galaxy clusters, as well as cosmic web structures where gravity governs formation and growth.

Classical description uses Newton's law of universal gravitation and Newtonian dynamics; gravitational attraction F = G m1 m2 / r^2, potential energy U = -G m1 m2 / r. Kepler's laws emerge for two-body problems. For strong gravity or high velocities, general relativity provides a more accurate framework; gravitational waves are ripples in spacetime predicted by GR and observed in merging black holes and neutron stars.

Observationally, graviteitsystemen are studied through orbital motions, velocity dispersions, rotation curves, gravitational lensing, and dynamics of mergers. Mass distributions, including dark matter, influence their behavior and can be inferred from observations.

Modeling often uses N-body simulations to follow the gravitational interaction of many bodies, sometimes including gas dynamics, star formation, and feedback. Key phenomena include orbital resonances, tidal stripping, galaxy mergers, and hierarchical structure formation.

Graviteitsystemen are central to astrophysics and cosmology, providing tests of gravity theories, constraints on dark matter and dark energy, and insights into the history and fate of astronomical systems.