Euler strut: a mechanical analogy for dynamics in the vicinity of a critical point

An anchored elastic filament (Euler strut) under an external point load applied to its free end is a simple model for a second-order phase transition. In the static case, a load greater than the critical load causes a Euler buckling instability, leading to a change in the filament's shape. The analysis of filament dynamics with an external point load at its end shows that when approaching the critical end-load, the period of such an inverted pendulum diverges in a fashion analogous to a 'soft mode' critical slowing down in, for example, a ferroelectric phase transition of displacive type. We thus show that an advanced concept of solid state physics, i.e. 'soft mode' dynamics and critical slowing down, observable in a variety of second-order phase transitions, can be actualized in this simple mechanical system. The variable loads attached to a vertical spring allow for an experimental implementation and quantitative measurements as an illustration of this analogy.