 | ||||||
Programs
|
Pendulum Equation
Launch Pendulum Grapher Launch Small Screen Version
The pendulum grapher is unlike any other program presented here. Besides a mathematical representation of the iterations of the equation there is a physical representation that helps students to visualize what is happening.
|
| The state variable x needs to have its initial condition set before the evaluation. There are three parameters, Omega, A, and B. Omega is the force of gravity, or the variable that tries to keep the pendulum at x=0. A is the acceleration placed on the pendulum. B is the general dampening placed on the pendulum like a force of friction. |
Some simple activities are:
Experiment with the dampening B value. Notice how the higher B gets the less chaotic the graph appears.
Experiment with other values to try to achieve a total chaotic system and a periodic system.