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Let three equal masses $m$ move vertically, with one spring of stiffness $k$ attaching mass 1 to a fixed support and two further springs of the same stiffness attaching masses 2 and 3 separately to mass 1. For absolute downward displacements $q$ from equilibrium, the small-oscillation mass and stiffness matrices areThe normal modes haveExchange symmetry of the two lower masses gives the antisymmetric mode with mass 1 stationary. In the symmetric sector, put $q=(A,B,B{)}^T$; the reduced equations give ${\lambda }^2-4\lambda +1=0$, producing the remaining two frequencies. The lower mode moves all masses in phase; in the higher mode the lower pair moves against the upper mass.

Using individual rope-length changes $y$ instead gives $q=(y_1,y_1+y_2,y_1+y_3{)}^T$. In those generalized coordinates $K=kI$ and $M=m\left(\begin{array}{ccc}3& 1& 1\\ 1& 1& 0\\ 1& 0& 1\end{array}\right)$. Mode amplitudes must therefore be identified as physical displacements or rope-length changes before interpreting them. The model assumes taut elastic elements and small vertical motion; gravity shifts the equilibrium extensions.

For equal masses $m$, wall-spring constants $k_1,k_2$, and coupling-spring constant $k_3$, the small-oscillation mass and stiffness matrices areIf $k_1=k(1+\epsilon \delta )$, $k_2=k(1-\epsilon \delta )$, and $k_3=k\epsilon$, the squared normal frequencies are

The kinetic energy of the three unit masses is $\frac{1}{2}{\sum }_i{\dot{x}}_i^2$. Expanding the potential givesThus the small-oscillation mass and stiffness matrices arewhere $J$ is the all-ones matrix.

The vector $(1,1,1{)}^T$ is an eigenvector of the stiffness matrix with eigenvalue $1$. Every vector orthogonal to it has coordinate sum zero and is an eigenvector with eigenvalue $4$. Since $T=I$, the generalized eigenvalue problem for small oscillations gives ${\omega }^2$ equal to these eigenvalues. One orthonormal choice of normal modes isThe last two may be replaced by any orthonormal basis of the sum-zero plane because the frequency is degenerate. Hence the normal frequencies are $\boxed{1,2,2}$.

The kinetic energy of the two equal masses isThe extensions of the left, coupling, and right springs are respectively $x_1$, $x_2-x_1$, and $x_2$. Their potential energy is thereforeThus the mechanical Lagrangian $L=T-U$ has the requested quadratic form with the symmetric small-oscillation mass and stiffness matrices

Taking downward distance as positive, the Lagrangian is

At equilibrium the lower spring supports only the lower mass, while the upper spring supports both masses:Hence

Let $q_i=z_i-z_i^{(0)}$. The linear terms cancel by the equilibrium equations, and the quadratic Lagrangian iswith the small-oscillation mass and stiffness matrices

The generalized eigenvalue problem for small oscillations isIts characteristic equation issoCorresponding displacement eigenvectors are

They are not orthogonal in the ordinary Euclidean inner product. They are orthogonal in the kinetic-energy, or mass-matrix, inner product:This is mass-matrix orthogonality of normal modes.

Translate the generalized coordinates so that the equilibrium is at zero. Its potential gradient vanishes, and its quadratic potential energy is $q^T\mathsf{V}q/2$, where $\mathsf{V}$ is the symmetric Hessian matrix. The Euler-Lagrange equations for small motion areA normal mode has fixed component ratios, $q(t)=v\cos (\omega t+\varphi )$, withThe angular frequency $\omega$ is its eigenfrequency. A zero mode instead admits a constant or linear time factor. For modes $v_{\alpha },v_{\beta }$, symmetry givesHence mass-matrix orthogonality of normal modes isWithin a degenerate eigenspace, a basis can be chosen orthogonal in this positive weighted inner product.

For three masses connected pairwise, the exact energies areA fixed common translation $x_i\mapsto x_i+a$ preserves all differences and velocities. A fixed rigid rotation $x_i\mapsto Q{x}_i$ preserves their Euclidean norms. Thus both energies have these symmetries. Here the transformation is fixed in time; a moving reference frame would change the kinetic energy. Every equilateral configuration of side $\sqrt{3}$ has zero spring extensions, hence zero force and minimum potential, proving that it is an equilibrium.

For the specified displacement coordinates, writeThe exact potential is $V=(k/2){\sum }_{ij=12,13,23}(d_{ij}-\sqrt{3}{)}^2$. For an equilibrium edge vector $d$ and small perturbation $\delta d$,Thus only each first-order extension is needed for the quadratic potential. These extensions, with an immaterial sign choice for the horizontal edge, areConsequently $V_2=(k/2)(s_1^2+s_2^2+s_3^2)$, with remainder $O(|q{|}^3)$. If $s=Bq$, then $\mathsf{V}=k{B}^{T}B$. Expanding the squares givesThe small-oscillation mass and stiffness matrices are $\mathsf{T}=m{I}_6$ and the displayed $\mathsf{V}$. Hence

The two common translations give zero-mode vectorsAn infinitesimal counterclockwise rotation sends each equilibrium vertex $r_i$ to $J{r}_i$, where $J(x,y)=(-y,x)$. Therefore a third zero-mode vector isEach vector makes all three $s_j$ vanish, so lies in the kernel of a linear map $B$ and therefore in the kernel of $\mathsf{V}$. The rows of $B$ are independent: the $q_4$ and $q_6$ entries first force the coefficients of its last two rows to vanish, then the first coefficient vanishes. Thus $\mathrm{rank}B=3$, and the rank-nullity theorem proves that these are exactly the three zero modes.

For radial motion takeso that $x_i(t)=(1+a(t))r_i$ to first order. The force on mass $i$ is $-ka{\sum }_{j\ne i}(r_i-r_j)=-3ka{r}_i$, since ${\sum }_i{r}_i=0$. Newton's equation therefore gives $m\ddot{a}=-3ka$. Equivalently $\mathsf{V}{v}_b=3k{v}_b$. Hence the breathing normal mode hasAll three masses move radially outward together, then inward together, preserving the triangular shape. The remaining two normal modes of an equilateral spring triangle are shear deformations with squared frequency $3k/(2m)$; together with the breathing mode and three rigid zero modes they account for all six degrees of freedom.

The Lagrangian is $\mathcal{L}=T-\mathcal{V}$, and the Euler-Lagrange equations areAt a rest equilibrium $q=0$, ${\partial }_i\mathcal{V}(0)=0$ for all three coordinates. The Taylor expansion therefore starts asThe symmetric Hessian matrix is the matrix $\mathsf{V}$ of the quadratic potential energy. If a quadratic coefficient vanishes along a direction, higher-order terms can be the first nonconstant terms there; equilibrium by itself does not imply strict stability.

Write ${\mathsf{T}}_0=\mathsf{T}(0)$. Terms involving the variation of $\mathsf{T}(q)$ are cubic in small displacements and velocities, so the quadratic small oscillation Lagrangian isA normal mode has fixed displacement ratios, $q(t)=v\cos (\omega t+\varphi )$. Its angular frequency $\omega$ is an eigenfrequency, or normal frequency, and satisfies the generalized eigenvalue problem for small oscillationsHere ${\mathsf{T}}_0$ is positive definite for independent physical coordinates and positive masses. A stable quadratic minimum makes ${\omega }^2\ge 0$; a negative value would describe exponential instability rather than oscillation.

For the suspended bar, let ${\kappa }_0$ and ${\kappa }_1$ denote the actual incremental spring constants of the upper and each lower spring. The physical displacement of the bar is $q_1$, while the lower spring extensions change by $q_2-q_1$ and $q_3-q_1$. ConsequentlyThe linear gravitational and elastic terms cancel at the loaded equilibrium. Expanding the remaining squares gives the small-oscillation mass and stiffness matricesThusSource convention: the printed matrix is obtained by setting ${\kappa }_0=\lambda /L$ and ${\kappa }_1=\mu /l$. Although the PDF prose calls $\lambda ,\mu$ spring constants, that matrix treats them as elastic parameters whose ratios to the stated lengths are the incremental stiffnesses. If they are read literally as Hooke-law spring constants, the divisions by $L,l$ should instead be omitted. The numerical case has $L=l=1$, so this discrepancy does not affect its results.

With the numerical parameters, ${\mathsf{T}}_0=\mathrm{diag}(2,1,1)$ andUse the exchange symmetry of the lower masses to find the vertical modes of a horizontally constrained suspended bar. The antisymmetric vector $v_a=(0,1,-1{)}^T$ obeys $\mathsf{V}{v}_a={\mathsf{T}}_0{v}_a$, giving ${\omega }_a=1$. In the symmetric sector put $v=(A,B,B{)}^T$ and $s={\omega }^2$. The two independent equations areTheir determinant gives $s^2-4s+2=0$, so $s=2\pm \sqrt{2}$. Taking $A=1$, the full set isIn the lowest normal mode, all three masses move in phase, with the lower masses moving about $2.414$ times as far as the bar. In the antisymmetric normal mode, the bar stays still and the lower masses move equally in opposite directions; their changing forces on the bar cancel. In the highest normal mode, the lower masses move together against the bar, with magnitude about $0.414$ of its displacement. Any small motion is a superposition of these three modes.

Set $L_i={\hat{L}}_i+y_i$. The equilibrium equations cancel the constant gravitational and elastic terms, leaving the small-oscillation mass and stiffness matricesThe off-diagonal mass terms arise because rope-length coordinates are not absolute climber displacements. For any nonzero velocity vector, ${\dot{y}}^{T}M\dot{y}=m_1{\dot{y}}_1^2+m_2({\dot{y}}_1+{\dot{y}}_2{)}^2+m_3({\dot{y}}_1+{\dot{y}}_3{)}^2>0$, so $M$ is a positive-definite matrix.

Within the vertical Hookean model, the displacement equations are exactly linear while all ropes stay taut. Small amplitudes ensure that none reaches the slack regime $L_i\le L_0$.

At equilibrium, the two horizontal equations imply ${\hat{X}}_2={\hat{X}}_1$ and then $k_1{\hat{X}}_1=0$, so both vanish. Adding the two vertical equations gives $k_1{\hat{Y}}_1=-(m_1+m_2)g$; the second separately gives $k_2({\hat{Y}}_2-{\hat{Y}}_1)=-m_{2}g$. HenceRetain the imposed constraint $X_2=0$ and set $X_1=x_1$, $Y_1={\hat{Y}}_1+y_1$, $Y_2={\hat{Y}}_2+y_2$. Subtracting the equilibrium equations cancels all constant gravitational terms. For $q=(x_1,y_1,y_2{)}^T$, the small-oscillation mass and stiffness matrices areThe horizontal reaction enforcing the constraint replaces the removed $X_2$ equation; it is not necessary to demand that the original unconstrained horizontal force on mass 2 vanish during motion. Because the zero-natural-length spring potentials are exactly quadratic, these displacement equations are actually exact within the ideal spring model, not merely first-order approximations.

Use displacements $x_i$ from an equilibrium, so the two spring extensions are $x_2-x_1$ and $x_3-x_2$. The kinetic energy and elastic potential energy areThus $T={\dot{x}}^{T}M\dot{x}/2$ and $V=x^{T}Kx/2$, with the small-oscillation mass and stiffness matricesIf $x_i$ instead denote absolute positions, the appropriate natural spring lengths must first be subtracted from the differences in $V$. They do not affect the equations for displacements.

Euler-Lagrange equations give $M\ddot{x}+Kx=0$, so a normal mode $x=v{e}^{i\omega t}$ obeys the generalized eigenvalue problem for small oscillations $Kv={\omega }^{2}Mv$. Reflection symmetry separates antisymmetric shapes $(A,0,-A{)}^T$ from symmetric shapes $(A,B,A{)}^T$. In the antisymmetric sector the end equation is $kA=m{\omega }^{2}A$, giving ${\omega }^2=k/m$. In the symmetric sector the two independent equations areTwice the first plus the second gives $m{\omega }^2(2A+\mu B)=0$. If $\omega =0$, then $B=A$. Otherwise $B=-2A/\mu$, and substitution into the first equation gives ${\omega }^2=(k/m)(1+2/\mu )$. Thus the three independent shapes are:For $v_0$ both springs retain their lengths, so this is uniform translation. For $v_1$ the end masses move oppositely and their forces on the middle mass cancel. For $v_2$ the end masses move together, while the middle mass moves oppositely so the centre of mass remains fixed. Direct substitution verifies all three eigenpairs; for positive $m,k,\mu$ the three eigenvalues are distinct and exhaust the three degrees of freedom. These are the normal modes of three masses connected by two equal springs.

A useful normalization is the weighted inner product induced by $M$. Since the squared mass norms are $m(\mu +2)$, $2m$ and $m(2+4/\mu )$, respectively, takeIf ordinary Euclidean unit eigenvectors are intended instead, divide $v_0,v_1,v_2$ by $\sqrt{3},\sqrt{2},\sqrt{2+4/{\mu }^2}$, respectively. The frequencies and physical motions are independent of this normalization choice. The zero-frequency coordinate has general motion $A+Bt$ rather than an oscillation.