#  Chaos and Catastrophe 

 



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###  Chaotic Pendulum 

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

 \[[In-Depth Description](/presentations/chaotic-pendulum)\]

###  Chaotic Waterwheel

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

\[[In-Depth Description](/presentations/chaotic-waterwheel)\]

###  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.

###  Contact Us

 **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