We experimentally investigate the motion of a pendulum on a turntable. The dynamics of this conical pendulum experiment are very rich and can be studied both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. At low rotational frequency of the turntable, we measure the Coriolis acceleration. Increasing the rotational frequency, we experimentally demonstrate a supercritical pitchfork bifurcation: above a critical rotational frequency, the pendulum arm spontaneously rises up. Beyond the characterization of the equilibrium pendulum angle, we evidence the so-called critical slowing down corresponding to the increase in the pendulum period when approaching the critical rotational frequency. Bifurcation and critical slowing down are key concepts in the study of critical phenomena that are seldom illustrated experimentally. All our experimental measurements are in excellent quantitative agreement with the theory we provide.
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February 2024
PAPERS|
February 01 2024
Coriolis acceleration and critical slowing-down: A quantitative laboratory experiment
R. Mathevet;
R. Mathevet
a)
Laboratoire National des Champs Magnétiques Intenses
, UPR 3228 CNRS/EMFL/INSA/UGA/UPS, Toulouse F-31400, France
and IRES, Université Toulouse III
, Toulouse F-31062, France
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P. Marchou;
P. Marchou
b)
IRES, Université Toulouse III
, Toulouse F-31062, France
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C. M. Fabre;
C. M. Fabre
c)
IRES, Université Toulouse III
, Toulouse F-31062, France
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N. Lamrani;
N. Lamrani
d)
IRES, Université Toulouse III
, Toulouse F-31062, France
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Am. J. Phys. 92, 100–107 (2024)
Article history
Received:
July 21 2022
Accepted:
September 26 2023
Citation
R. Mathevet, P. Marchou, C. M. Fabre, N. Lamrani, N. Combe; Coriolis acceleration and critical slowing-down: A quantitative laboratory experiment. Am. J. Phys. 1 February 2024; 92 (2): 100–107. https://doi.org/10.1119/5.0112643
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