The Landau free energy F(m) = a(T)m² + bm⁴ + cm⁶ describes phase transitions via the order parameter m. Drag the temperature slider to watch the potential landscape bifurcate — second-order transitions (b>0) show continuous symmetry breaking; first-order (b<0) show discontinuous jumps with hysteresis.
Free energy F(m) vs order parameter m
Bifurcation diagram: m*(T)