Double Pendulum 3D

Chaotic motion through a full hemisphere — drag to rotate

Drag to rotate view  ·  Scroll to zoom  ·  "Add shadow" launches a near-identical twin to reveal sensitivity

In 2D the double pendulum is already chaotic; in 3D it sweeps a luminous tangle through a full hemisphere. The shadow pendulums start with infinitesimally different initial conditions — within seconds they diverge completely, a tactile demonstration of the butterfly effect. The trail records the path of the second bob, revealing strange attractor-like structures that depend sensitively on the mass and length ratios.