Non-Sinusoidal Oscillation: A Balloon on a String

initial displacement

0.1

mass per unit length of string

0.05

gravitational acceleration

1.5

balloon volume

3

damping constant

0.02

run

Picture a buoyant balloon trailing a string with some mass per unit length. As the balloon rises, more string is lifted off the floor and the weight of the balloon-string system increases. As the balloon sinks, string returns to the floor and the weight of the balloon-string system decreases. In effect, the mass of the system depends on its position.