- A pendulum is a weight suspended from a pivot point that swings back and forth under the influence of gravity.
- The time it takes for a pendulum to complete one cycle of swing is known as its period.
- The period of a pendulum is dependent on its length, the acceleration due to gravity, and the starting angle of the pendulum.
There are two types of pendulums:
a simple pendulum and a second's pendulum.
Simple pendulum:
A simple pendulum is a pendulum that has a small oscillation angle, typically less than 15 degrees. An ideal simple pendulum is a theoretical pendulum that is mass less, has a friction less pivot, and swings in a vacuum.
Second pendulum
A second's pendulum, on the other hand, is a pendulum that has a period of exactly two seconds, one second for a complete swing in one direction and one second for the return swing. This type of pendulum is used as a timekeeping device, with each swing representing one second.
