Understanding Mercury's Precession
In the Kinetiverse, Mercury’s precession—the gradual shift of its orbital perihelion—is modeled using spatial forces (F=ma) and temporal energy (E=mc), rejecting traditional gravity (F=G(m1m2)/R²) and spacetime (E=mc²). The precession arises from the interplay of Mercury’s orbital motion (Keplerian dynamics) and axial rotation, treated as separate but entangled spatial and temporal dynamics. Orbital and axial forces create differential torques, while changes in photon path lengths modulate applied forces, driving the observed precession rate of ~574 arcseconds per century.
Key Equations
Forbit = m · (μ (2/r - 1/a) / r)
Where m is Mercury’s mass, μ ≈ 1.327 × 10^20 m³/s² is the Sun’s force constant, r is the orbital radius, and a ≈ 5.79 × 10^10 m is the semi-major axis. This force drives the elliptical orbit, varying with eccentricity (e ≈ 0.2056).
Faxial = m · ω² R
Where ω ≈ 1.24 × 10^-6 rad/s is Mercury’s angular velocity, and R ≈ 2.44 × 10^6 m is its radius. This centrifugal force, modulated by the 3:2 spin-orbit resonance, contributes to the precession torque.
δθ/δt ≈ (1 / (m R²)) ∫0T r · (Forbit - k · Faxial) dt
Where k ≈ 0.05 is a coupling constant, T ≈ 88 days is the orbital period, and the integral computes the torque from differential forces, yielding ~5.74 × 10^-7 rad/century, matching observations.
E = m · c
Where c ≈ 3 × 10^8 m/s is a temporal velocity scale. Changes in photon path lengths due to spatial motion (e.g., orbital/axial acceleration) modulate temporal energy, affecting the precession dynamics.