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Traditionally, a clock pendulum bob is a round flat disk, lens-shaped in section, to reduce its aerodynamic drag, but bobs in older clocks often have decorative carving and shapes characteristic of the type of clock. They are usually made of a dense metal such as iron or brass.
A simple pendulum consists of a relatively massive object - known as the pendulum bob - hung by a string from a fixed support. When the bob is displaced from equilibrium and then released, it begins its back and forth vibration about its fixed equilibrium position.
Play with one or two pendulums and discover how the period of a simple pendulum depends on the length of the string, the mass of the pendulum bob, and the amplitude of the swing. It’s easy to measure the period using the photogate timer.
A simple pendulum is defined to have a point mass, also known as the pendulum bob, which is suspended from a string of length L with negligible mass (Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\)). Here, the only forces acting on the bob are the force of gravity (i.e., the weight of the bob) and tension from the string.
A simple pendulum is defined to have a point mass, also known as the pendulum bob, which is suspended from a string of length L with negligible mass (). Here, the only forces acting on the bob are the force of gravity (i.e., the weight of the bob) and tension from the string.
The bob of a simple pendulum traces back and forth over the arc of a circle with the pivot at the center. A stationary pendulum of any sort will rest in an equilibrium position with its center of mass below the pivot.
A simple pendulum is defined to have a point mass, also known as the pendulum bob, which is suspended from a string of length L with negligible mass (Figure 15.20). Here, the only forces acting on the bob are the force of gravity (i.e., the weight of the bob) and tension from the string.
