Pendulum swinging concept

Instead of timing the period of the swing, you could time how long each pendulum swings before it comes to rest. Did you know that, after the ride is started, the motor does not need to do any more work, and the ride continues on its own? This is called the period of oscillation. Read More Development Begin this part of the lesson by telling students that they will explore websites to learn more about how pendulums help us learn about gravitational forces. He was right on that one: Retrieved from " https: The oscillation of a pendulum is much like that of a mass on a spring.

Engineers incorporate pendulums in many projects — such as designing clocks, designing amusement park rides, studying the Earth and earthquakes with seismometers, and determining how much swaying movement a structure or tower can safely withstand during storms. The only thing that can stop the ride is friction, which is supplied from the brakes. The motion of a pendulum was first mathematically described by the Italian Galileo Galilei in the late s.