Re:Modeling a car suspension in Javascript, part 1
by stephengillie on Monday September 10, 2012 @12:16PM
(#4500542)
This reminds me of a mechanical-modeling "computer" that Lee Iacocca described in his autobiography. Resistors were used as struts, capacitors as springs, etc. The magnetic force of the electricity represented the force of gravity as the modelled car traveled along the simulated road.
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Re:Modeling a car suspension in Javascript, part 1
by bkanber on Monday September 10, 2012 @12:36PM
(#4500636)
There are direct parallels between mechanical systems, electrical circuits, and plumbing systems. Three totally different systems can be modeled by the same exact equations!
Re:Modeling a car suspension in Javascript, part 1
by compumike on Monday September 10, 2012 @01:22PM
(#4500883)
Yes -- exactly why electrical circuit simulation tools sometimes get used in non-electronics contexts. Here's a simulation of your spring-mass-dashpot system in CircuitLab (JS-based circuit simulator, which also works for some mechanical models like this): https://www.circuitlab.com/circuit/pr4n2d/physics-car-suspen...
We also have some combined electrical and thermal systems such as https://www.circuitlab.com/circuit/a4xaa6/sous-vide-combined... . Looking forward to the rest of your blog series!