We quantitatively analyze a familiar classroom demonstration, Van Waltenhofen's eddy current pendulum, to predict the damping effect for a variety of plate geometries from first principles. Results from conformal mapping, finite element simulations and a simplified model suitable for introductory classes are compared with experiments.
@article{arxiv.1506.06401,
title = {Predicting the Influence of Plate Geometry on the Eddy Current Pendulum},
author = {Catherine Weigel and Jeremy M. Wachter and Paul Wagoner and Timothy J. Atherton},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1506.06401},
year = {2016}
}