Science · 6 pages · 12 min
Why a pendulum keeps a steady beat
For small swings, the period depends on length, not on how hard you push.
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From the opening
A simple pendulum keeps a steady beat because, for small swings, the time of one trip depends on length and on gravity, not on amplitude. A harder push makes a wider arc, but the bob has farther to travel and moves faster in a way that cancels. The opening covers why small swings share a period, what length changes and mass does not, and where large swings leave the rule.
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Inside
- Why small swings share a period
- What length changes and mass does not
- Where large swings leave the rule
- How a clock uses the beat
- Where the idea stops applying
- A distinction worth keeping
Sources
- Isochronism of a simple pendulum at small amplitude
- Huygens and the pendulum clock regulator