Reduced Mass Formula:
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Definition: The reduced mass is an inertial mass appearing in the two-body problem of Newtonian mechanics.
Purpose: It simplifies the two-body problem to an equivalent one-body problem, making calculations easier in physics and chemistry.
The calculator uses the formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates the equivalent mass that would appear in the equations of motion when considering the relative motion of two bodies.
Details: Reduced mass is crucial in molecular physics, quantum mechanics, and celestial mechanics for simplifying two-body problems.
Tips: Enter the masses of both reactants in kilograms. Both values must be greater than 0.
Q1: Why is reduced mass important in chemistry?
A: It's used in calculating vibrational frequencies of diatomic molecules and in collision theory.
Q2: What's the physical interpretation of reduced mass?
A: It represents the "effective mass" in the relative motion of two bodies, where one body appears stationary.
Q3: How does reduced mass affect molecular vibrations?
A: The vibrational frequency of a diatomic molecule is inversely proportional to the square root of the reduced mass.
Q4: Can reduced mass be greater than the individual masses?
A: No, reduced mass is always less than or equal to the smaller of the two masses.
Q5: How is reduced mass used in astronomy?
A: It's used to calculate orbital periods in binary star systems and planet-satellite systems.