ABSTRACT

Synchronization is a common phenomenon in physical and biological systems. We examine the synchronization of two (and more) metronomes placed on a freely moving base. The small motion of the base couples the pendulums causing synchronization. The synchronization is generally in-phase, with antiphase synchronization occurring only under special conditions. The metronome system provides a mechanical realization of the popular Kuramoto model for synchronization of biological oscillators, and is excellent for classroom demonstrations and an undergraduate physics lab.