Chaotic Pendulum

Todd McAlpine

This project may contain aspects of theoretical, experimental, or computational physics. The pendulum has historically been a practically useful tool and physically fascinating device. The pendulum is often used as a mechanical analog to a variety of physical systems, from the oscillation of an LC circuit to the Josephson junction. In this project, we will look at a number of potential pendulum systems to study classical and chaotic dynamics. Some such possibilities may include looking at large oscillations, coupled pendulums, and pendulums with additional forces acting on them (for instance, a driving force, drag forces, buoyant forces, and a charged or magnetized pendulum bob in an electric or magnetic field). Such systems may be studied both experimentally or by looking at computer simulations.