WOLFRAM|DEMONSTRATIONS PROJECT

The Friction Oscillator

​
t
10
μ
k
0.5
W
10.
L
1.
x(0)
-0.25
x'(0)
0.25
The friction oscillator mechanism consists of a rod moving horizontally over two disks separated by a distance
2L
; the disks spin in opposite directions, providing a net kinetic friction with effective coefficient
μ
k
. Kinetic friction (shown in green) is proportional to the weight
W
. The rod moves a distance
x
because the components of normal forces (in brown) are changing.