ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Duffing oscillator

A duffing oscillator is like a toy swing, but it follows a special rule, like a dance. A swing goes back and forth, but a duffing oscillator swings and bounces in a special way that creates a pattern.

When you push a swing, it moves back and forth. When you push it harder, it swings higher and takes longer to come back down. The duffing oscillator is like this, but it follows a special rule that makes it do something special.

Imagine that the swing has a special rule that says, "When I go high, I bounce back and forth more." This means that the swing starts to do something special. It will start to bounce in a special pattern that looks like a figure 8 shape.

The duffing oscillator does this too. It follows a special rule that makes it bounce and swing in a special pattern. It starts to move back and forth, but as it moves back and forth more, it also starts to bounce higher and higher. This makes it move in a special way that creates a pattern that goes up, down, sideways, and around, all at the same time!

Some people think that the duffing oscillator is like a song that sings a special tune. It follows a rule to create a musical pattern. Other people think that it is like a dance that moves in a special way. Either way, the duffing oscillator is a special toy that moves in a way that is both fun and fascinating!