Eur. Phys. J. Special Topics 223, 649-663 (2014)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2014-02131-1

Review

Order and disorder in coupled metronome systems

¹ Babeş-Bolyai University, Department of Physics, Str. Kogălniceanu 1, nr. 1, 400084 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
² Edutus College, Department of Mechatronics, Optics, Mechanical Engineering and Informatics, Bertalan Lajos Street 4-6, Budapest, Hungary

Received: 3 March 2014
Revised: 18 March 2014
Published online: 28 April 2014

Abstract

Metronomes placed on a smoothly rotating disk are used for exemplifying order-disorder type phase-transitions. The ordered phase corresponds to spontaneously synchronized beats, while the disordered state is when the metronomes swing in unsynchronized manner. Using a given metronome ensemble, we propose several methods for switching between ordered and disordered states. The system is studied by controlled experiments and a realistic model. The model reproduces the experimental results, and allows to study large ensembles with good statistics. Finite-size effects and the increased fluctuation in the vicinity of the phase-transition point are also successfully reproduced.