A pendulum clock.
What sets the rhythm of a swing?
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What sets the rhythm of a swing?
Hang the bob first.
Gravity restores the bob toward its lowest point. For small swings, a longer pendulum has a longer period. A heavier bob has more inertia and more gravitational force; those effects cancel in the period.
Ideal pendulum, no friction. Period 2π√(L/g) is the small-angle approximation. The diagram limits release angle to ±15° and slows playback.
Build a one-metre pendulum and measure its period.
Find how length and mass affect the pendulum’s period.