Two dimensional oscillatory motion in space-time
- Author:
- Judah L Schwartz
Two masses on springs (harmonic oscillators) move at right angles to one another in the {x,y} plane.
One mass moves on the X axis: ,
The second mass moves on the Y axis:
A time axis is perpendicular to the x,y plane
The point {x(t),y(t),t} traces a curve in the 3D space {x,y,t}.
You can vary all the parameters.
Can you make the projection on the {x,y} plane of the space curve be a circle? an ellipse? a straight line?
What determines the orientation of the ellipse? the straight line?
Right click and hold to "tumble" the 3D view in the right window.