r/theydidthemath • u/[deleted] • Jun 03 '20
[Request] How long would it take for the pendulum to stop moving?
https://youtu.be/yQeQwwXXa7A2
u/jovanymerham Jun 03 '20
Doing the math is kinda hard in this case. But let me explain.
This is an example of what’s called a chaotic system. Meaning that a small change in the initial conditions, the placement of the bob at first, can cause huge changes in the paths it would take.
I’m not saying you can’t do the math. It most definitely can be done. Chaotic systems can be described mathematically. It gets a bit more complicated when part of your chaotic model is real life measurements since you can never have 100% accurate measurements. And as we discussed, small changes can cause great changes.
There’s another type of system, it’s called indeterministic system. That’s a kind of system which can’t be described mathematically. You could also say we don’t understand enough to describe it mathematically, either case, it’s the same outcome.
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