M-D15: Chaos pendulum

PIRA: Unknown

Equipment: 3 magnets and a steel ball connected to a string.

Procedure: Patterns of order can be found in apparently disordered systems. Three magnets are positioned in an equilateral triangle with the same pole facing up. The steel ball is set in motion. This simple system shows chaotic motion for some starting positions of the pendulum. A very slight difference in the starting position of the pendulum can grow to a tremendous difference in the pattern in a short time. This is characteristic of chaotic systems.