The-Pendulum-Swings-0.mp3
The-Pendulum-Swings-0.mp4
The-Pendulum-Swings-I.mp3
TThe-Pendulum-Swings-I.mp4
The-Pendulum-Swings-intro.mp3
[Intro]
The pendulum swings
(From one end to the other)
The change it brings
(We’re about to uncover)
[Bridge]
For what it’s worth
(Back and forth)
[Verse 1]
Here’s the thing
(Forces acting on the swing)
Inevitability (of the gravity)
Tension (brings me back again)
[Chorus]
The pendulum swings
(From one end to the other)
The change it brings
(We’re about to uncover)
[Bridge]
For what it’s worth
(Back and forth)
[Bridge]
For what it’s worth
(Back and forth)
[Verse 2]
The forces bring
(Back the swing)
Of course (restoring force)
Tangential (transitional)
[Chorus]
The pendulum swings
(From one end to the other)
The change it brings
(We’re about to uncover)
[Bridge]
For what it’s worth
(Back and forth)
[Outro]
For what it’s worth
(Back and forth)
A SCIENCE NOTE
A swinging pendulum follows the principles of classical mechanics, particularly Newton’s laws of motion and the conservation of energy. It consists of a mass, known as the bob, attached to a string or rod of fixed length, allowing it to swing back and forth under the influence of gravity. The forces acting on the pendulum include gravity, which pulls the bob downward, and the tension in the string, which adjusts as the pendulum moves. The force that restores the pendulum to its equilibrium position comes from the component of gravity acting along the arc of its motion.
When the pendulum swings at small angles, its motion closely resembles simple harmonic motion, meaning it follows a regular, repeating pattern. The time it takes to complete one full swing depends only on the length of the string and the strength of gravity, not on the pendulum’s weight or the size of its swing.
As the pendulum moves, its energy shifts between two forms: potential energy, which is highest when the bob reaches the peak of its swing, and kinetic energy, which is greatest at the lowest point of the swing when the bob is moving fastest. If there is no external interference, the total energy remains constant, and the pendulum continues swinging indefinitely.
In real-world conditions, however, air resistance and friction at the pivot gradually reduce the pendulum’s motion, causing it to slow down and eventually stop. If an external force is applied at regular intervals, the pendulum can maintain or even increase its motion, sometimes leading to complex and unpredictable behavior. When the swing reaches larger angles, the motion becomes nonlinear, meaning the time for each swing slightly increases compared to the ideal case of small angles.