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.