Kepler Orbit: Geometric Integration

This interactive demonstration highlights the difference between standard numerical methods and geometric integrators. Watch how explicit Euler rapidly gains energy, 4th order Runge-Kutta slowly drifts in energy, while symplectic Euler strictly bounds the energy error, preserving the orbit indefinitely.

Simulation Controls

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Orbital Trajectories (x vs y)
Total Energy over Time (E = K + V)