Motion & Mechanics
Three-Period Pendulum
Do they all swing in sync—or not?
Three pendulums start swinging at the same time, but soon fall out of sync. This makes the duration of a swing and periodic motion visible.
The Science Behind It
Each pendulum has a different length, so each has its own period. The time it takes to swing back and forth once is called a period. The longer the pendulum, the more slowly it swings. They can swing in perfect sync only if they are exactly the same length. But because their oscillations overlap, they create an intriguing interplay of rhythm and repetition.
