This notebook shows the progression of simple graphics primitives
into a realistic model of a mass-spring system and then provides
functions for animating the system per any specified function.
We start with the surface definition of a torus.
We then extend it such that it wraps about a helical path.
Eventually, we are left with a basic spring model.
We then define the surface of the mass as well as the space curve
that will plot our arbitrary function. We also provide functions for
automatically resizing the function such that it will fit within a
specified range. Finally we are left with a functional three-d model
for visualizing the one-d motion of a mass-spring system, as shown
below with a simple oscillator function.
Of course, we also demonstrate that the system works for virtually
any continuous function in R2.
This notebook also provides custom functions for exporting the
images of the animations directly to the file system.
The full notebook is available and can be viewed with Mathematica or MathReader.
