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Compare Pendulum
A physics simulation compares two driven pendulums that begin almost identically to demonstrate chaotic sensitivity to initial conditions.
About Compare Pendulum
Compare Pendulum is a web-based physics simulation that runs two driven pendulums side by side. The two pendulums start from almost identical angles. Over time they stay in sync for a while, drift apart, and then behave completely differently. The page is built to show sensitivity to initial conditions, a defining feature of chaotic systems.
Users can open the Sim tab to change the starting angle difference, drive amplitude, frequency, mass, gravity, and damping. They can also drag the pendulum with a mouse to change its starting position. The pendulums are driven by an external torque that alternates between clockwise and counterclockwise. The torque is shown as a curved arrow whose length reflects its strength. The page also includes an angular velocity versus angle graph. The page states that the underlying math is covered on a separate Chaotic Driven Pendulum page, which uses the same simulation with a single pendulum. The page is available in English and German.
Key features
- Two independent pendulum simulations running at the same time from nearly identical starting angles
- Adjustable starting angle difference, drive amplitude, frequency, mass, gravity, and damping
- Drag the pendulum with a mouse to change its starting position
- External torque shown as a curved arrow whose length indicates force strength
- Graph of angular velocity versus angle for the two chaotic pendulums
Best for: Students and teachers who want a visual, interactive way to study chaos and sensitivity to initial conditions in physics.
Good for
- Lets users adjust several physical parameters and see how the two pendulums respond
- Shows divergence between nearly identical systems in a direct, visual way
- Available in both English and German
Compare Pendulum at a glance
- Type
- Website
- Pricing
- Not confirmed. Check the site
- Platforms
- Web
- Open source
- Not stated
- Language
- English
- Last checked
- Oct 6, 2026 · Online when checked
- Listed
- Oct 5, 2026
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Compare Pendulum FAQ
What does the angle difference parameter control?
It sets the difference between the starting angles of the two pendulums. The page suggests measuring how long the pendulums take to diverge significantly at different values.
Where is the mathematics behind the simulation explained?
The page refers readers to the Chaotic Driven Pendulum page, which uses the same simulation but with one pendulum instead of two.
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