Using the Euler method in a spreadsheet to study a nonlinear oscillator

Abstract

The one-dimensional nonlinear oscillations of a magnet attached to a spring and interacting with a set of magnets are analyzed theoretically and experimentally. The equation of motion is solved numerically using the Euler method in a spreadsheet. The temporal evolution of the position is obtained using video analysis. The correspondence between the data and the predictions of the model shows the potential of the tools employed. The simplicity of the approach allows its application in the first university courses of experimental Physics.