Pendulum Waves

Fifteen uncoupled simple pendulums of monotonically increasing lengths dance together to produce visual traveling waves, standing waves, beating, and (seemingly) random motion.

Source: Harvard Natural Sciences Lecture Demonstrations

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IBPH Episode #7 - Simple Harmonic Motion (Part 1)

Simple harmonic motion (SHM) is a type of periodic motion for which the force that drives it is proportional to the displacement from the equilibrium position. What is the equation that describes this type of motion? The answer and more in this video.

Source:  Horatiu Pop

Other videos by Horatiu Pop


IBPH Episode #7 - Simple Harmonic Motion (Part 1) from Horatiu Pop on Vimeo.

Coupled Pendulums - Sixty Symbols

Coupled Oscillators, or pendulums, are demonstrated by Professor Roger Bowley (with Easter eggs...).

Source: Sixty Symbols

MIT 8.01 Classical Mechanics Lecture 13

MIT Physics Course

Professor Walter Lewin

8.01 Physics  I: Classical Mechanics, Fall 1999

Potential energy and simple harmonic motion.

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MIT 8.01 Classical Mechanics Lecture 10

Force exerted by a spring (Hooke's Law), period of a frictionless mass-spring system, simple harmonic motion, simple pendulum (small angle approximation).  Includes several experimental demonstrations.

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MIT Physics Demo -- Pendulum and Magnet

A solid copper pendulum is set into motion between the poles of an electromagnet. The magnets induce eddy currents in the copper which oppose the motion of the pendulum. The pendulum quickly slows to a stop.

When a copper pendulum with strips cut into it is swung between the same magnets, it is not slowed nearly as much as the solid pendulum. This is because the cuts in the copper prevent large eddy currents from forming.

Source:  MIT TechTV

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Coupled pendulums

Two pendulums attached to the same horizontal string transfer their motion back and forth.

Newton's Cradle

Simple pendulum

Simple pendulum: velocity vector, acceleration vectors (radial acceleration in cyan and tangential acceleration in orange), forces (tension in orange and weight in cyan) and energies (kinetic energy in yellow, gravitational potential energy in green and total mechanical energy in orange).

Other animations by Yves Pelletier

Conceptual physics: Conservation of Energy

Paul Hewitt demos conservation of kinetic and potential energy with a bowing ball next to his teeth.