Chaos and Catastrophe

Chaotic Pendulum 

[M | t | ★★★]
Coupled, double, physical pendulum executes chaotic motion when non-linear initial conditions are imposed.

[In-Depth Description]

Chaotic Waterwheel

[M | t+ | ★★★]
The rotation direction and speed of this water wheel is completly unpredictable.

[In-Depth Description]

Fold Catastrophe

[M | t | —]
One variable with no return: air pressure as the essential factor controlling the inflation and, ultimately, the catastrophic rupturing of a balloon.

Cusp Catastrophe

[S | t | —] 
One variable with recovery from catastrophic change as demonstrated by toy metal "clickers" or frogs.

Zeeman Catastrophe Machine

[M | t | —] 
Too complicated to describe in a sentence, this model nicely demonstrates a butterfly catastrophe involving two planes of stability separated by catastrophe.

Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking

[M | t | —]
A symmetric rod that buckles in a random direction under a load: an asymmetrical solution to a symmetrical equation.

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Mailing Address: Lecture Demonstration Services, Science Center, Rm B-08A, 1 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Campus Location: Science Center B-08A | Tel: (617) 495-5824 | Email: scidemos-at-fas.harvard.edu