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Observe the pendulum at the centre of the swing, as this is when it moves fastest, so you can judge the time most accurately. Start the stopwatch as it passes this point, counting zero as it does, then one, two, three etc. each time it passes that point in the same direction until you have reached a total of 20 (see comment below), when you stop the watch. Divide the answer by 20.

The number of swings you count should be sufficient to reduce the start-stop timing errors to a minimum. I suggest that the time you measure should be at least 30 seconds, and a minute would be better if the pendulum continues to swing that long.

Repeat the timing another two times, and take the average unless one reading is about a swing's worth out as you might then have miscounted! The most common error is to say 'one' as you start the watch instead of 'nought'.

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12y ago

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Does pendulum goes fast or slow?

The speed of a pendulum depends on its length and the gravitational pull. Taller pendulums swing slower than shorter ones, as the longer distance allows more time to complete each cycle. Additionally, heavier pendulums may swing faster due to their greater inertia.


What are different types of pendulum?

Some common types of pendulums include simple pendulums, compound pendulums, physical pendulums, and torsion pendulums. Simple pendulums consist of a mass suspended from a fixed point and swing back and forth. Compound pendulums have multiple arms or masses swinging together. Physical pendulums have a mass distributed along its length instead of at a single point. Torsion pendulums use a twisting motion instead of swinging back and forth.


What makes a pendulm swing fast or slow?

The speed of a pendulum is determined by the length of the pendulum arm and the force applied to set it in motion. A shorter pendulum will swing faster, while a longer pendulum will swing slower. Additionally, factors such as air resistance and friction can also affect the speed of a pendulum swing.


Where do you see Pendulums in the real world?

Pendulums are commonly seen in various applications, such as clocks and metronomes, where their regular oscillations are used to keep time. They are also used in seismology to measure the movement of the Earth during earthquakes. In addition, pendulums are utilized in amusement park rides, such as swing rides, to create a thrilling swinging motion.


What is the highest point of the pendulums swing called?

The highest point of a pendulum's swing is called the amplitude. This is the point where the pendulum's potential energy is at its maximum and its kinetic energy is at its minimum.

Related Questions

What is a swinging pendulum?

All pendulums swing. They wouldn't be pendulums if they didn't.


What is the most important thing discovered by Galileo about pendulums?

That each swing takes the same amount of time.


Why can pendulums be used for time keeping?

The time it takes for one complete swing of a particular pendulum at a particular length is constant, no matter how far the end travels during the swing.


Where do you see pendulums in every day life and how are the useful?

swing sets


Does pendulum goes fast or slow?

The speed of a pendulum depends on its length and the gravitational pull. Taller pendulums swing slower than shorter ones, as the longer distance allows more time to complete each cycle. Additionally, heavier pendulums may swing faster due to their greater inertia.


What are different types of pendulum?

Some common types of pendulums include simple pendulums, compound pendulums, physical pendulums, and torsion pendulums. Simple pendulums consist of a mass suspended from a fixed point and swing back and forth. Compound pendulums have multiple arms or masses swinging together. Physical pendulums have a mass distributed along its length instead of at a single point. Torsion pendulums use a twisting motion instead of swinging back and forth.


What makes a pendulm swing fast or slow?

The speed of a pendulum is determined by the length of the pendulum arm and the force applied to set it in motion. A shorter pendulum will swing faster, while a longer pendulum will swing slower. Additionally, factors such as air resistance and friction can also affect the speed of a pendulum swing.


Where do you see Pendulums in the real world?

Pendulums are commonly seen in various applications, such as clocks and metronomes, where their regular oscillations are used to keep time. They are also used in seismology to measure the movement of the Earth during earthquakes. In addition, pendulums are utilized in amusement park rides, such as swing rides, to create a thrilling swinging motion.


Does a short or a long pendulum have a longer period?

The time of swing of a pendulum is T = 2π √ (l/g) where l is the length of the pendulum. As T ∝√l (Time is directly proportional to the square root of l) then, the longer the pendulum, the greater is the period. Therefore longer pendulums have longer periods than shorter pendulums.


How does Kinetic and Potential energy relate to Pendulums in different ways?

Maximum kinetic energy occurs at the bottom of the swing. Maximum potential energy occurs at the top of the swing.


What is the highest point of the pendulums swing called?

The highest point of a pendulum's swing is called the amplitude. This is the point where the pendulum's potential energy is at its maximum and its kinetic energy is at its minimum.


Each of two pendulums weighs the same which swings faster?

The pendulum with a shorter length will swing faster than the one with a longer length, as the period of a pendulum is directly proportional to the square root of its length. So, if both pendulums have the same weight but different lengths, the one with the shorter length will swing faster.