In a three body system,gravity controls the motion of each of the objects,
A) and their future positions can be predicted accurately at any time in the future.
B) and their future positions can be predicted accurately at any time in the past.
C) but we cannot predict their positions far into the future because of friction.
D) but we cannot accurately predict their positions far into the future due to chaos.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The motion in a three body system can be chaotic, meaning that small changes in initial conditions can lead to vastly different outcomes. This makes accurate predictions of future positions very difficult, if not impossible. Friction is not a factor in gravitational interactions, so option C can be eliminated. Options A and B are incorrect because while gravity does control the motion of each object, chaotic behaviour means that predictions cannot be made with complete accuracy.

In a Three Body System,gravity Controls the Motion of Each