title: Comparison of newtonian and special-relativistic trajectories with the general-relativistic trajectory for a low-speed weak-gravity system.
abstract: We show, contrary to expectation, that the trajectory predicted by general-relativistic mechanics for a low-speed weak-gravity system is not always well-approximated by the trajectories predicted by special-relativistic and newtonian mechanics for the same parameters and initial conditions. If the system is dissipative, the breakdown of agreement occurs for chaotic trajectories only. If the system is non-dissipative, the breakdown of agreement occurs for chaotic trajectories and non-chaotic trajectories. The agreement breaks down slowly for non-chaotic trajectories but rapidly for chaotic trajectories. When the predictions are different, general-relativistic mechanics must therefore be used, instead of special-relativistic mechanics (newtonian mechanics), to correctly study the dynamics of a weak-gravity system (a low-speed weak-gravity system).
authors.affiliation: School of Science, Monash University, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Shiuan-Ni
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Boon Leong
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Lan
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003198:Computer Simulation; D018472:Hypogravity; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics