🧪 Physics Simulator Mechanics Dynamics

Three equal masses connected by identical springs between two fixed walls form the simplest system with more than one natural way to vibrate. This simulator numerically integrates the exact coupled equations of motion — no shortcuts, no pre-recorded animation — so the three normal modes you excite from the panel are the true eigenmodes of the system: the lowest mode swings all masses together, the second holds the centre mass still while the outer two swing oppositely, and the third alternates every neighbouring pair. Pluck only the centre mass instead and watch a real superposition of all three modes beat in and out of phase. Live energy and normal-coordinate readouts let you confirm the numerics against the closed-form ω_n = 2√(k/m)·sin(nπ/8) prediction.