3A95.51 - Chaos Motor

Code Number:
3A95.51
Demo Title:
Chaos Motor
Condition:
Excellent
Area of Study:
Chaos
Equipment:
Compass, Helmholtz Coils, Pasco Wave Generator, Chaos Motor Unit.
Procedure:

See also 3A95.51 in Chaos and Rube Goldberg.

Hook the Pasco wave generator to the Helmholtz coils as shown.  Place any of the compass needles between the coils and adjust the frequency until chaos is observed.  This should be at a frequency of 2.8 Hz. or less depending on the compass needle used.

References:
  • Mamraj Singh, Amanpal Singh, Sandeep Kumar, "Visualizing the Probability Density Function of a Classical Harmonic Oscillator", TPT, Vol. 61, #7, Oct. 2023, p. 588.
  • Peter Millet, James Schreve, and Peter Coxeter, "Phase-Space Orbits and the Ping-Pong Ball Impact Oscillator", TPT, Vol. 44, #2, Feb. 2006, p. 92.
  • C. Laroche, R. Labbe, F. Petrelis, S. Fauve, "Chaotic Motors", AJP, Vol. 80, #2, Feb. 2012, p. 113.
  • H.J. Korsch, E. M. Graefe, and Hans-Jörg Jodl, "The Kicked Rotor: Computer-Based Studies of Chaotic Dynamics", AJP, Vol. 76, #4 & #5, April/May 2008, p. 498.
  • Robert DeSerio, "Synchronous Analog I/O for Acquisition of Chaotic Data in Periodically Driven Systems", AJP, Vol. 72, #4, Apr. 2004, p. 553.
  • Trevor Mitchell and P. B. Siegel, "A Simple Setup to Observe Attractors in Phase Space", AJP, Vol. 61, #9, Sep. 1993, p. 855.
  • Archana Ojha et al., "Measurements of the Transient Motion of a Simple Nonlinear System", AJP, Vol. 59, #7, July 1991, p. 614.
  • M. J. Ballico, M. L. Sawley, and F. Skiff, "The Bipolar Motor: A Simple Demonstration of Deterministic Chaos", AJP, Vol. 58, #1, Jan. 1990, p. 58.
  • H. Meissner and G. Schmidt, "A Simple Experiment for Studying the Transition from Order to Chaos", AJP, Vol. 54, #9, Sep. 1986, p. 800.
  • Paul A. Lucas, "Modifying Helmholtz Coils to Magnetically Drive a Small Dipole", AJP, Vol. 54, #7, July 1986, p. 666.
  • Yaakov Kraftmakher, "2.5. Nonlinear Dynamics", Experiments and Demonstrations in Physics, ISBN 981-256-602-3, p. 103 - 107.

Disclaimer: These demonstrations are provided only for illustrative use by persons affiliated with The University of Iowa and only under the direction of a trained instructor or physicist.  The University of Iowa is not responsible for demonstrations performed by those using their own equipment or who choose to use this reference material for their own purpose.  The demonstrations included here are within the public domain and can be found in materials contained in libraries, bookstores, and through electronic sources.  Performing all or any portion of any of these demonstrations, with or without revisions not depicted here entails inherent risks.  These risks include, without limitation, bodily injury (and possibly death), including risks to health that may be temporary or permanent and that may exacerbate a pre-existing medical condition; and property loss or damage.  Anyone performing any part of these demonstrations, even with revisions, knowingly and voluntarily assumes all risks associated with them.