Read through http://galileo.phys.virginia.edu/classes/152.mf1i.spring02/ExcelPendulum.html and construct both the spreadsheets: the simple Euler one that doesn’t give a very accurate answer as well as the “leapfrog”.
Do the questions at the end of the spreadsheet instructions.
Read through the lecture http://galileo.phys.virginia.edu/classes/152.mf1i.spring02/Oscillations.htm and do the following questions, which are in that lecture:
1. If the oscillator is pulled aside a distance x0, and released from rest at t = 0, what are A1, A2? Describe the subsequent motion, especially the very beginning.
2. If the oscillator is initially at the equilibrium position x0 = 0, but is given a kick to a velocity v0, find A1 and A2 and describe the subsequent motion.
3. Estimate Q for the following oscillator (and don’t forget the energy is proportional to the square of the amplitude) – see the lecture!