Article 5520A Evolute of an egg

Evolute of an egg

by
John
from John D. Cook on (#5520A)

The set of lines perpendicular to a curve are tangent to a second curve called the evolute. The lines perpendicular to the ellipse below are tangent to the curve inside called an astroid.

ellipse_evolute.png

If we replace the ellipse with an egg, we get a similar shape, but less symmetric.

egg_evolute.png

The equation for the egg is described here with parameters a = 3, b = 2, and k = 0.1. The ellipse above has the same a and b but k = 0.

I made the lines slightly transparent, setting alpha = 0.4, so the graph would be darker where many lines cross.

Related post: Envelopes of epicycloids

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