Variations on Simple Pendulums

Authors: L P Pook

Publish Date: 2011

Volume: , Issue: , Pages: 27-41

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Abstract

The simple rod pendulum is a convenient idealisation of the real pendulums often used to control clocks Compound pendulum is the term used by horologists for a real clock pendulum as opposed to an simple rod pendulum where the rod is assumed to be rigid and massless with pendulum mass concentrated at a point In a real clock pendulum the rod is relatively light but not rigid and massless and the bob is heavy but its mass is not concentrated at a point The term is also applied to an idealisation of a compound pendulum that are used in order to make mathematical analysis more tractable This idealisation is discussed Analysis of simple rod pendulums and idealised compound pendulums does not always provide an explanation of the behaviour of real clock pendulums so other idealisations are sometimes needed Other types of pendulum are used in scientific industrial and recreational applications and appropriate idealisations are needed Idealisations of several types of pendulum are described in Except for idealisations of compound pendulums these idealisations are all assembled from components of simple rod pendulums or simple string pendulums Most can display chaotic behaviour

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