Round 1: Tossup 13

The observation that these devices are not isochronous inspired Christiaan Huygens (“HOW-ginz”) to solve the tautochrone problem. The period of these devices depends on their initial displacement (10[1])and is proportional (10[1])to an elliptic integral (10[1])of the first kind. (10[1])A coupled pair of these (10[1])devices is a classic example of a chaotic (10[1])system. When these devices’ (10[1])equation of motion is linearized (-5[1])with the small angle approximation, they can be approximated as harmonic oscillators whose frequency is the square root of little g over L. The Earth’s rotation causes the precession of a type of these devices named for Léon Foucault (“foo-KOH”). For 10 points, what devices consist of a mass at the end of a rod? ■END■ (10[1])

Back to tossups

Buzzes

Summary