Swingball - Equations of motion

Hugh Hunt ( www.eng.cam.ac.uk/~hemh )

Feb 2006

 

Kinetic Energy:            

Potential Energy:          

 

CONSERVATION OF ENERGY: 

 = Constant             (1)

 

Moment of momentum about the axis of the pole:

                                   

 

CONSERVATION OF MOMENT OF MOMENTUM:

                         = Constant                  (2)

 

Equations (1) and (2) describe the entire motion of the swingball.  Initial conditions determine the values of the two constants.  The equations need to be solved numerically.