Rod and Circle

Source code: rodAndCircle.pde    Built with Processing

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This applet illustrates a point moving on a rod with one end fixed to a point moving at a constant speed on a circle, and with the other end free to move on a line through the center of the circle.

The top slider controls time.

The second slider controls the length of the rod, and the third slider controls the radius of the circle.

The fourth slider controls the initial position of the point: where the point is on the rod at time t=0.

The fifth slider controls the speed at which the point moves along the rod. Initially it does not move, but it can be changed to move toward one end of the rod or the other.

The red curve shows the path traced by the point as the rod moves around the circle.