Chaos
Small changes in inputs can lead to big changes in outputs
The motion of a regular pendulum, such as that of a grandfather clock, is periodic and predictable. Further, the trajectories resulting from two very close initial conditions remain very close to each other.
In contrast, this pendulum contains magnets in both the rod and the base, making its motion chaotic. Its trajectory is seemingly random, and close initial conditions can lead to very different trajectories whose differences increase exponentially with time.
We can’t completely predict the trajectory of a chaotic pendulum since there’s always some uncertainty in our knowledge of the initial condition.
Chaotic systems are ubiquitous in nature and society. They include some electrical circuits, the weather, the heart, and the stock market.
This demonstration is currently displayed in the Hallway on the 2nd Floor in Manning Hall.