Nick Brungo and Kirk Mitchell

Mrs. Profeta
Conceptual Physics
4/18/16

A pendulum is a weight (called a bob) suspended from a pivot so that it can swing freely. When a
pendulum is displaced sideways from its resting position, it is subject to a restoring force due to
gravity that will accelerate it back toward the resting position. When released, the restoring force
combined with the pendulum's mass causes it to oscillate about the resting position, swinging
back and forth.
From its invention in 1602 by Galileo Galilei, the motion of pendulums was used for
timekeeping, and was the world's most accurate timekeeping technology until the 1930s.
Pendulums are used to regulate pendulum clocks, and are used scientific tools such as
accelerometers and seismometers. They were used as gravimeters to measure the acceleration of
gravity in geophysical surveys, and even as a standard of length. The word "pendulum" is new
Latin, from the Latin word pendulus, meaning 'hanging'.
Our pendulum apparatus is constructed from a wood beam and stacks of plastic cups for support.
We chose to use golf balls as weights for our apparatus because we both enjoy the sport of golf.
Our lines gradually decreased from a length of 28 centimeters (.28 meters) to about 17
centimeters (.17 meters). The fastest line was the ninth line, which was 17 centimeters (.17
meters) in length. In thirty seconds, it completed 36 cycles.
In conclusion, our apparatus performed well, in that it did what it was intended. Pendulums are
widely used for a variety of measurements and utility needs. Being familiar with the physics and
science behind pendulums would be vital in a scientific/ engineering field. Completing this
project greatly increased Kirk and Is knowledge about pendulums and the way they are
incorporated and used in todays world.

Sources
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/pendulum.aspx
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pendulum