Android Question Help: Ans = Infinity

[wonder]

So, I'm working on a little science project:

Dim G          = 6.67 * Power(10, -11) as Float
Dim Earth_Mass = 5.97 * Power(10,  24) as Float 'in kilograms
Dim Sun_Mass   = 1.99 * Power(10,  30) as Float 'in kilograms
Dim Distance   = 1.5  * power(10,  11) as Float 'in meters

Dim Gravitational_Force = (G * Sun_Mass * Earth_Mass) / Power(Distance, 2) as Float
Log(Gravitational_Force)

Output: Infinity

I'm getting "Infinity" instead of the actual value.
How can I handle such big numbers? Any suggestions?
I'm not a math wizzard...

 

[thedesolatesoul]

If you change the order to:

Log((G*Sun_Mass/Power(Distance,2))*Earth_Mass)

it outputs 3.521849211074262E22
Not sure if that is the correct value.
Alternatively you need the BigNumbers library.

 

[thedesolatesoul]

Or use double instead of floats. Double uses 64 bit.
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Java_Programming/Primitive_Types

 

[wonder]

Or use double instead of floats. Double uses 64 bit.
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Java_Programming/Primitive_Types

It worked!! Thank you so much!!
It's the second time you save my code this week!! Thanks man!!!

 

[thedesolatesoul]

It worked!! Thank you so much!!
It's the second time you save my code this week!! Thanks man!!!

Because you ask interesting questions in a way I can try them

 

[wonder]

I woke-up yesterday with the urge to build a miniature solar system.
I'm trying to get stable orbits while inputing real data.
So far all I managed to do, was to crash a few planets into the Sun.

Files:

Photoshop concept art:

 

[thedesolatesoul]

If you are applying a singular force to the planet that is where it will go?
I'm not sure what other forces play a factor to keep it in orbit.

 

[wonder]

Well, I haven't got it to work properly yet, but last night I was temporarily able to get some stable orbits.

I have only two velocity vectors.

Vector A is the planet's linear speed (30 km/sec).
Vector B is perpendicular to vector A and it's accelerated towards the Sun.

Sub Acceleration_Towards_The_Sun(planet_index As Int) As Double
    Return (G * SpaceBody(Sun).Mass) / Power(Distance_Between_Two_SpaceBodies_in_Meters(planet_index, Sun), 2)
End Sub

Once I have it all figured out, I'll share the code.

 

[thedesolatesoul]

I need to take out my old books but I believe vector B needs to be a combination of the centripetal and centrifugal forces that would keep 'r' constant.
Let me know whenever you make more interesting progress!