Conservative numerical methods for \(\ddot x=f(x)\) (Q2266575)

Two numerical methods are developed for solving the initial value problem \(\ddot x=f(x)\), \(x(0)=\alpha\), \(\dot x(0)=\beta\). Both methods conserve the same total energy (kinetic plus potential) as does this differential equation, i.e. \({1/2}\dot x(t)^ 2 + \phi(x(t))\). Here \(\phi(x)\) is any function such that \(-d\phi /dx=f(x)\). Two examples describe the situation.