Do I need to install anything?

No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.

For Educators · Gravity Well

Gravity Well for a rolling barrel

Built for educators teaching it to a class. Drop a live demo into a lecture or assign it as a shareable link — no lab installs. Simulate a rolling barrel live below — adjust the inputs and watch it respond, right in your browser.

Gravity Well StudioLive

curved spacetime · rubber-sheet analogy

Controls

The classic rubber-sheet picture of gravity: mass warps the grid, and a body orbits in the curved surface. Drag the star to move the mass and reshape the well; drag empty space to orbit the view.

Presets

Central mass

▶ Run in Python

Data Inspector

Central mass60

Well depth∝ M/r

View3D orbit

Governing equation

Φ = - \frac{GM}{r} = - \frac{60 G}{r}, F = \frac{GM m}{r ^{2}}

Reading this result: At mass 60 the well is moderately curved; the body traces a near-stable ellipse because its sideways motion balances the inward pull (∝ M/r²).

Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.

or unlock everything with Pro →

Also for:Students Researchers Engineers Hobbyists & Makers K-12 Students First Responders General version →

More with Gravity Well

Gravity Well for a projectile from a cannon Gravity Well for a bouncing ball Gravity Well for a pendulum clock Gravity Well for a car braking Gravity Well for a roller-coaster loop Gravity Well for a satellite orbit Gravity Well for a mass on a spring Gravity Well for a skydiver's free fall

Frequently asked questions

Is this good for educators?: Yes — this version of "Gravity Well for a rolling barrel" is framed for educators teaching it to a class. Drop a live demo into a lecture or assign it as a shareable link — no lab installs.
Do I need to install anything?: No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.