What physics calculations do you like to verify in KSP?

[TheSandDuna]

This post isn't necessarily physics it could be math or science or astronomy or anything, but this game is a great way to see physics and classical mechanics at work. I have spent plenty of time learning orbital mechanics for optimal spacefaring maneuvers, like using the vis-viva equation to verify orbital velocity or calculate my delta-v for good launches on career mode without mods (which gets very difficult for larger craft).

What else do you guys like to verify about physics or even prove how the game is different from physics in the real world?

[PakledHostage]

Not really a physics calculation, but I once tried to calculate the size of the Kerbol system by using the Lazor cam mod to observe a transit of Eve from two locations on Kerbin (one near the north pole and the other near the south pole). Unfortunately it didn't work out so well; I was out by about 20%. I suspect because the graphics engine wasn't designed to render objects in the sky that accurately. Even so, I learned a lot about how transits of Venus were used historically to calculate the size of our own solar system.

Edited February 4, 2014 by PakledHostage

[PUNiSH3R]

Funny you would bring this up, I spent about an hour last night putting together an old classic that a lot of modern engineering students have difficulty intuitively conceptualizing: Uniform Circular Motion.

So it goes like this: If a body is moving in uniform circular motion, the velocity of the body is always tangential to the circle of motion and the acceleration along that circle is zero; Given that, if the body were suddenly 'released', what would the trajectory of the body look like?

Lots of people want to say that the trajectory describes some sort of curve through space, but it doesn't...

Anyway here's the setup:

The small (FL-T100? I think) fuel tanks (four of them) are the bodies in question for this problem. So, I light off the engines at full throttle, the "Free Moving" docking collars act as bearings for the vertical center axle and the entire assembly rapidly beings to rotate:

Once the system reaches a quasi equilibrium, I trigger the docking collars to release:

So, what's the trajectory of the tanks?

You can also do fun stuff to show that the reference frame doesn't matter; you still get the same result:

And then you can just go crazy:

Meh, I enjoyed it...

[goldenpeach]

It's not really a physic calculation, but I like(or have) to calculate the landing coordinate of a craft(e.g a big rover) in order to be at a certain distance of a given target(e.g the manned lander).

I made a script to do that and I can land(using mechjeb) at a reasonnable distance of the target(so I don't have to drive the rover for ten minutes before getting to the lander)

[Ralathon]

I always whip out the calculator to figure out my orbits for RemoteTech relay satellites.

If you want the optimal system of 3 satellites orbiting as an equilateral triangle you're limited by the radius of the body and the range of your antenna. I always try to find some orbit with a nice round period so circularization is easier.