Abstract
Students often find mechanics a difficult area to grasp. This article describes an equation of motion for a waggling pendulum. A wide range of pendulum dynamics can be simulated with this model. The equation of motion is embedded in a graphical user interface for its numerical solution in MATLAB. This allows a student's focus to be on the influence of different parameters on the pendulums dynamics. The simulation tool can be used as a dynamics demonstrator in a lecture or as an educational tool driven by the imagination of the student. By way of demonstration, the simulation tool has been applied to different damped pendulums including an inverted pendulum. The model has also been used to simulate resonance and has shown that there is a wide range of behaviours possible depending on the type of forcing applied.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
