Gravity Lab
Free browser physics sandbox: bend orbits, drop objects into motion, and watch gravity play out in real time.
Overview
Gravity Lab is a free, hands-on browser simulation where you place objects, give them a nudge, and watch gravity pull them into orbits, slingshots, and collisions. Adjust mass and velocity, then drop bodies into motion to see how small changes reshape every trajectory. It turns abstract orbital mechanics into something you can play with directly, no install required.
The problem
Orbital mechanics and gravity are hard to grasp from equations alone, with no easy way to see how mass and motion shape a trajectory.
How it works
You drop objects into a 2D space and set their starting velocity, and the simulation continuously computes gravitational forces between bodies to animate their paths frame by frame.
Use cases
- Students exploring orbits, slingshots, and two-body motion for a physics or astronomy class
- Teachers demonstrating gravity and orbital mechanics live in the browser
- Curious tinkerers experimenting with mass and velocity to see stable vs. chaotic systems
Tech stack
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