Foucault's Pendulum

Yes I read it. I simply do not understand how anything being powered is "swinging freely."

Not all Foucault pendulums are powered.  A properly made Foucault pendulum has very little friction and will swing for hours once started.  They will swing long enough so that you can make a good estimate of its angular velocity.

Not all Foucault pendulums are powered.  A properly made Foucault pendulum has very little friction and will swing for hours once started.  They will swing long enough so that you can make a good estimate of its angular velocity.

According to theory yes. Museums do not use these, therefore anyone claiming to have seen one as evidence probably saw a museum powered version.

If you are going to be paranoid I suppose so.  But there is no way to argue with a paranoid person.  If you actually start to shake their belief then you are part of the conspiracy, mumbling (Tom's words), or some other lame excuse.  If you are going to have a reasonable debate you do have to be able to believe some people.  Peer review, though not perfect, should be the standard for accepting outside sources.  Otherwise we might as well bang our heads against the walls.

If you are going to be paranoid I suppose so.  But there is no way to argue with a paranoid person.  If you actually start to shake their belief then you are part of the conspiracy, mumbling (Tom's words), or some other lame excuse.  If you are going to have a reasonable debate you do have to be able to believe some people.  Peer review, though not perfect, should be the standard for accepting outside sources.  Otherwise we might as well bang our heads against the walls.

You are scolding me for correcting people that hold incorrect views?

Yes I read it. I simply do not understand how anything being powered is "swinging freely."

Ok, I'll put it really simply:

The North pole of a magnet attracts the South pole of a magnet, and the South pole of a magnet attracts the North pole of a magnet.

With me so far... Now it gets a little hard...

If you run an electric current through a wire, it produces a magnetic field. If you coil that wire into a circle, then one end of the coil will be North, and the other South.

If you arrange a permanent magnet to be inside the loop of the coil, it will become attracted to the coil if it is arranged in the opposite direction. Remember, North attracts South.

If you turn this electromagnet on briefly, then you can give the permanent magnet a slight pull towards the edge of the coil.

As the strength of a magnetic field decreases the further from it you are, this means that the permanent magnet is only attracted to the closest side of the coil.

This arrangement does not give any rotation to the pendulum as the permanent magnet is always attracted to the closest side of the coil. If the coil rotates, another part of the coil would become the new closest part, and so not affect the permanent magnet on the pendulum wire.

Quote from: Raist on December 10, 2008, 04:32:55 PM

Yes I read it. I simply do not understand how anything being powered is "swinging freely."

Ok, I'll put it really simply:

The North pole of a magnet attracts the South pole of a magnet, and the South pole of a magnet attracts the North pole of a magnet.

With me so far... Now it gets a little hard...

If you run an electric current through a wire, it produces a magnetic field. If you coil that wire into a circle, then one end of the coil will be North, and the other South.

If you arrange a permanent magnet to be inside the loop of the coil, it will become attracted to the coil if it is arranged in the opposite direction. Remember, North attracts South.

If you turn this electromagnet on briefly, then you can give the permanent magnet a slight pull towards the edge of the coil.

As the strength of a magnetic field decreases the further from it you are, this means that the permanent magnet is only attracted to the closest side of the coil.

This arrangement does not give any rotation to the pendulum as the permanent magnet is always attracted to the closest side of the coil. If the coil rotates, another part of the coil would become the new closest part, and so not affect the permanent magnet on the pendulum wire.

your description would slow own the pendulum as much as it speeds it up. I wouldn't explain something if I didn't fully understand it.

Quote from: Edtharan on December 10, 2008, 09:02:22 PM

Quote from: Raist on December 10, 2008, 04:32:55 PM

Yes I read it. I simply do not understand how anything being powered is "swinging freely."

Ok, I'll put it really simply:

The North pole of a magnet attracts the South pole of a magnet, and the South pole of a magnet attracts the North pole of a magnet.

With me so far... Now it gets a little hard...

If you run an electric current through a wire, it produces a magnetic field. If you coil that wire into a circle, then one end of the coil will be North, and the other South.

If you arrange a permanent magnet to be inside the loop of the coil, it will become attracted to the coil if it is arranged in the opposite direction. Remember, North attracts South.

If you turn this electromagnet on briefly, then you can give the permanent magnet a slight pull towards the edge of the coil.

As the strength of a magnetic field decreases the further from it you are, this means that the permanent magnet is only attracted to the closest side of the coil.

This arrangement does not give any rotation to the pendulum as the permanent magnet is always attracted to the closest side of the coil. If the coil rotates, another part of the coil would become the new closest part, and so not affect the permanent magnet on the pendulum wire.

your description would slow own the pendulum as much as it speeds it up. I wouldn't explain something if I didn't fully understand it.

Not if you turn off the electro magnet as the pendulum hits the center of the coil.

Quote from: Edtharan on December 10, 2008, 09:02:22 PM

Quote from: Raist on December 10, 2008, 04:32:55 PM

Yes I read it. I simply do not understand how anything being powered is "swinging freely."

Ok, I'll put it really simply:

The North pole of a magnet attracts the South pole of a magnet, and the South pole of a magnet attracts the North pole of a magnet.

With me so far... Now it gets a little hard...

If you run an electric current through a wire, it produces a magnetic field. If you coil that wire into a circle, then one end of the coil will be North, and the other South.

If you arrange a permanent magnet to be inside the loop of the coil, it will become attracted to the coil if it is arranged in the opposite direction. Remember, North attracts South.

If you turn this electromagnet on briefly, then you can give the permanent magnet a slight pull towards the edge of the coil.

As the strength of a magnetic field decreases the further from it you are, this means that the permanent magnet is only attracted to the closest side of the coil.

This arrangement does not give any rotation to the pendulum as the permanent magnet is always attracted to the closest side of the coil. If the coil rotates, another part of the coil would become the new closest part, and so not affect the permanent magnet on the pendulum wire.

your description would slow own the pendulum as much as it speeds it up. I wouldn't explain something if I didn't fully understand it.

As I said, my second posting was a very simplified explanation. If you read my first explanation (which apparently was too technical for you to understand) I did state that they switch off the magnet on the down swing.

So I do fully understand it, and as the switch off the electromagnet on the down swing, it does not slow the pendulum down.

Quote from: Raist on December 10, 2008, 09:06:30 PM

Quote from: Edtharan on December 10, 2008, 09:02:22 PM

Quote from: Raist on December 10, 2008, 04:32:55 PM

Yes I read it. I simply do not understand how anything being powered is "swinging freely."

Ok, I'll put it really simply:

The North pole of a magnet attracts the South pole of a magnet, and the South pole of a magnet attracts the North pole of a magnet.

With me so far... Now it gets a little hard...

If you run an electric current through a wire, it produces a magnetic field. If you coil that wire into a circle, then one end of the coil will be North, and the other South.

If you arrange a permanent magnet to be inside the loop of the coil, it will become attracted to the coil if it is arranged in the opposite direction. Remember, North attracts South.

If you turn this electromagnet on briefly, then you can give the permanent magnet a slight pull towards the edge of the coil.

As the strength of a magnetic field decreases the further from it you are, this means that the permanent magnet is only attracted to the closest side of the coil.

This arrangement does not give any rotation to the pendulum as the permanent magnet is always attracted to the closest side of the coil. If the coil rotates, another part of the coil would become the new closest part, and so not affect the permanent magnet on the pendulum wire.

your description would slow own the pendulum as much as it speeds it up. I wouldn't explain something if I didn't fully understand it.

As I said, my second posting was a very simplified explanation. If you read my first explanation (which apparently was too technical for you to understand) I did state that they switch off the magnet on the down swing.

So I do fully understand it, and as the switch off the electromagnet on the down swing, it does not slow the pendulum down.

Woah woah woah. What part about your first post did I not understand?

The very fact you don't understand that you can't swing freely with a power source shows your lack of knowledge on the subject. Then you claim a stationary magnet will speed it up when it would act equally in all directions on it.

Quote from: Raist on December 11, 2008, 09:16:06 AM

Woah woah woah. What part about your first post did I not understand?

Well you didn't tell us which parts you did understand...

Quote from: Raist on December 11, 2008, 09:16:06 AM

The very fact you don't understand that you can't swing freely with a power source shows your lack of knowledge on the subject. Then you claim a stationary magnet will speed it up when it would act equally in all directions on it.

Read this for starters. Its a simple explanation of the pendulum. Note they state how long the pendulum takes to complete a circuit in San Francisco. Interesting.

The same principle is used on normal pendulum clocks to keep the pendulum freely swinging. The only difference is that Foucaults is allowed to move in two dimensions, these are restricted to one.

http://www.bmumford.com/clocks/em2/index.html

It isn't freely swinging though. It has a motor.

Quote from: goldstein on December 11, 2008, 09:49:47 AM

Quote from: Raist on December 11, 2008, 09:16:06 AM

Woah woah woah. What part about your first post did I not understand?

Well you didn't tell us which parts you did understand...

Quote from: Raist on December 11, 2008, 09:16:06 AM

The very fact you don't understand that you can't swing freely with a power source shows your lack of knowledge on the subject. Then you claim a stationary magnet will speed it up when it would act equally in all directions on it.

Read this for starters. Its a simple explanation of the pendulum. Note they state how long the pendulum takes to complete a circuit in San Francisco. Interesting.

The same principle is used on normal pendulum clocks to keep the pendulum freely swinging. The only difference is that Foucaults is allowed to move in two dimensions, these are restricted to one.

http://www.bmumford.com/clocks/em2/index.html

It isn't freely swinging though. It has a motor.

This mechanism consists of two coils of very fine wire under the pendulum, and a permanent magnet on the pendulum that interacts with them. In my clock, the coils are concealed inside the wooden base. One of the two coils is the trigger coil, and generates a voltage whenever the permanent magnet swings near it. The other coil is the drive coil, and it propels the pendulum by attracting the magnet. The trigger coil causes current to flow in the drive coil. This happens on every swing of the pendulum. The rate at which this happens is determined by the natural period of the pendulum, not by the electronics.

I'd say that's a fairly loose definition of a motor.  Please explain how such a "motor" could influence the path of the pendulum.

Quote from: Raist on December 11, 2008, 09:51:44 AM

Quote from: goldstein on December 11, 2008, 09:49:47 AM

Quote from: Raist on December 11, 2008, 09:16:06 AM

Woah woah woah. What part about your first post did I not understand?

Well you didn't tell us which parts you did understand...

Quote from: Raist on December 11, 2008, 09:16:06 AM

The very fact you don't understand that you can't swing freely with a power source shows your lack of knowledge on the subject. Then you claim a stationary magnet will speed it up when it would act equally in all directions on it.

Read this for starters. Its a simple explanation of the pendulum. Note they state how long the pendulum takes to complete a circuit in San Francisco. Interesting.

The same principle is used on normal pendulum clocks to keep the pendulum freely swinging. The only difference is that Foucaults is allowed to move in two dimensions, these are restricted to one.

http://www.bmumford.com/clocks/em2/index.html

It isn't freely swinging though. It has a motor.

Quote from: http://www.bmumford.com/clocks/em2/index.html

This mechanism consists of two coils of very fine wire under the pendulum, and a permanent magnet on the pendulum that interacts with them. In my clock, the coils are concealed inside the wooden base. One of the two coils is the trigger coil, and generates a voltage whenever the permanent magnet swings near it. The other coil is the drive coil, and it propels the pendulum by attracting the magnet. The trigger coil causes current to flow in the drive coil. This happens on every swing of the pendulum. The rate at which this happens is determined by the natural period of the pendulum, not by the electronics.

I'd say that's a fairly loose definition of a motor.  Please explain how such a "motor" could influence the path of the pendulum.

It causes it to go in wider and wider arcs. I'd say the pendulum is hardly freely swinging.

Quote from: Raist on December 11, 2008, 09:51:44 AM

Quote from: goldstein on December 11, 2008, 09:49:47 AM

http://www.bmumford.com/clocks/em2/index.html

It isn't freely swinging though. It has a motor.

Quote from: http://www.bmumford.com/clocks/em2/index.html

This mechanism consists of two coils of very fine wire under the pendulum, and a permanent magnet on the pendulum that interacts with them. In my clock, the coils are concealed inside the wooden base. One of the two coils is the trigger coil, and generates a voltage whenever the permanent magnet swings near it. The other coil is the drive coil, and it propels the pendulum by attracting the magnet. The trigger coil causes current to flow in the drive coil. This happens on every swing of the pendulum. The rate at which this happens is determined by the natural period of the pendulum, not by the electronics.

I'd say that's a fairly loose definition of a motor.  Please explain how such a "motor" could influence the path of the pendulum.

mo-tor: a person or thing that imparts motion

"The other coil is the drive coil, and it propels the pendulum "

Sounds like a mo-tor to me. Sounds like it's influencing the path of the pendulum to me.

This is a big win for FE.

Quote from: Raist on December 11, 2008, 09:51:44 AM

It isn't freely swinging though. It has a motor.

The pendulum is free to swing in any direction. The loss in friction is made up by the magnet coil.

Oh so now freely swinging DIRECTIONALLY. So you admit you lied?

Quote from: Raist on December 11, 2008, 10:26:36 AM

Quote from: goldstein on December 11, 2008, 10:25:39 AM

Quote from: Raist on December 11, 2008, 09:51:44 AM

It isn't freely swinging though. It has a motor.

The pendulum is free to swing in any direction. The loss in friction is made up by the magnet coil.

Oh so now freely swinging DIRECTIONALLY. So you admit you lied?

No.

Shoo little troll, its sunrise soon.

Ah yes, you go off claiming a motor driven pendulum is free swinging and I'm a troll.

Please find a less serious forum for your..... "debate"

Goldstein wants you to go, Raist. You're making him look bad.

Goldstein and company's lack of debate skills driving me from the serious debates does not mean I am not allowed to debate. I simply find it time that they stop controlling the serious forums with their nonsense.

Goldstein and company's lack of debate skills driving me from the serious debates does not mean I am not allowed to debate. I simply find it time that they stop controlling the serious forums with their nonsense.

You are a pariah for truth.

Quote from: Raist on December 11, 2008, 10:33:45 AM

Ah yes, you go off claiming a motor driven pendulum is free swinging and I'm a troll.

Please find a less serious forum for your..... "debate"

No you've been told a thousand times how it works, and how it doesn't affect the direction of the pendulum.

Now you're either trolling or intensly dense. I'll be kind and say its the former.

I never made a claim against either of those facts. I simply said it is not freely moving if this was the case. You decided to be a pedant and repeatedly say things about me and repeat how it works over and over. As if this wasn't enough, someone decided to simplify how it works to me and explained it incorrectly.

I do not see why you will not let this "freely moving" thing go.

Quote from: Edtharan on December 11, 2008, 06:43:20 AM

Quote from: Raist on December 10, 2008, 09:06:30 PM

Quote from: Edtharan on December 10, 2008, 09:02:22 PM

Quote from: Raist on December 10, 2008, 04:32:55 PM

Yes I read it. I simply do not understand how anything being powered is "swinging freely."

Ok, I'll put it really simply:

The North pole of a magnet attracts the South pole of a magnet, and the South pole of a magnet attracts the North pole of a magnet.

With me so far... Now it gets a little hard...

If you run an electric current through a wire, it produces a magnetic field. If you coil that wire into a circle, then one end of the coil will be North, and the other South.

If you arrange a permanent magnet to be inside the loop of the coil, it will become attracted to the coil if it is arranged in the opposite direction. Remember, North attracts South.

If you turn this electromagnet on briefly, then you can give the permanent magnet a slight pull towards the edge of the coil.

As the strength of a magnetic field decreases the further from it you are, this means that the permanent magnet is only attracted to the closest side of the coil.

This arrangement does not give any rotation to the pendulum as the permanent magnet is always attracted to the closest side of the coil. If the coil rotates, another part of the coil would become the new closest part, and so not affect the permanent magnet on the pendulum wire.

your description would slow own the pendulum as much as it speeds it up. I wouldn't explain something if I didn't fully understand it.

As I said, my second posting was a very simplified explanation. If you read my first explanation (which apparently was too technical for you to understand) I did state that they switch off the magnet on the down swing.

So I do fully understand it, and as the switch off the electromagnet on the down swing, it does not slow the pendulum down.

Woah woah woah. What part about your first post did I not understand?

The very fact you don't understand that you can't swing freely with a power source shows your lack of knowledge on the subject. Then you claim a stationary magnet will speed it up when it would act equally in all directions on it.

Well first off you didn't seem to understand that (even though explicitly stated) that the electromagnet was only turned on during the upswing of the pendulum and not the down swing. That there is explicit evidence that you didn't understand what I was saying (or are trolling).

I also never claimed it swung freely without a power source.

What I was saying is that the power source does not influence the direction of the swing, only the amplitude of the swing. The fact that you also didn't understand that also is evidence that you didn't understand what I was saying and that you don't understand the mechanics of the system.

Quote from: Raist on December 11, 2008, 09:16:06 AM

Quote from: Edtharan on December 11, 2008, 06:43:20 AM

Quote from: Raist on December 10, 2008, 09:06:30 PM

Quote from: Edtharan on December 10, 2008, 09:02:22 PM

Quote from: Raist on December 10, 2008, 04:32:55 PM

Yes I read it. I simply do not understand how anything being powered is "swinging freely."

Ok, I'll put it really simply:

The North pole of a magnet attracts the South pole of a magnet, and the South pole of a magnet attracts the North pole of a magnet.

With me so far... Now it gets a little hard...

If you run an electric current through a wire, it produces a magnetic field. If you coil that wire into a circle, then one end of the coil will be North, and the other South.

If you arrange a permanent magnet to be inside the loop of the coil, it will become attracted to the coil if it is arranged in the opposite direction. Remember, North attracts South.

If you turn this electromagnet on briefly, then you can give the permanent magnet a slight pull towards the edge of the coil.

As the strength of a magnetic field decreases the further from it you are, this means that the permanent magnet is only attracted to the closest side of the coil.

This arrangement does not give any rotation to the pendulum as the permanent magnet is always attracted to the closest side of the coil. If the coil rotates, another part of the coil would become the new closest part, and so not affect the permanent magnet on the pendulum wire.

your description would slow own the pendulum as much as it speeds it up. I wouldn't explain something if I didn't fully understand it.

As I said, my second posting was a very simplified explanation. If you read my first explanation (which apparently was too technical for you to understand) I did state that they switch off the magnet on the down swing.

So I do fully understand it, and as the switch off the electromagnet on the down swing, it does not slow the pendulum down.

Woah woah woah. What part about your first post did I not understand?

The very fact you don't understand that you can't swing freely with a power source shows your lack of knowledge on the subject. Then you claim a stationary magnet will speed it up when it would act equally in all directions on it.

Well first off you didn't seem to understand that (even though explicitly stated) that the electromagnet was only turned on during the upswing of the pendulum and not the down swing. That there is explicit evidence that you didn't understand what I was saying (or are trolling).

I understood that. Someone explaining it said that it was always on. I misunderstood nothing.

Conclusion: Although museum versions of Foucaults Pendulums have a motor to keep the pendulum moving, there is nothing in the action of that motor which limits the direction of movement.

Except where it increases it. So no.

Quote from: Edtharan on December 11, 2008, 03:11:07 PM

Quote from: Raist on December 11, 2008, 09:16:06 AM

Quote from: Edtharan on December 11, 2008, 06:43:20 AM

Quote from: Raist on December 10, 2008, 09:06:30 PM

Quote from: Edtharan on December 10, 2008, 09:02:22 PM

Quote from: Raist on December 10, 2008, 04:32:55 PM

Yes I read it. I simply do not understand how anything being powered is "swinging freely."

Ok, I'll put it really simply:

The North pole of a magnet attracts the South pole of a magnet, and the South pole of a magnet attracts the North pole of a magnet.

With me so far... Now it gets a little hard...

If you run an electric current through a wire, it produces a magnetic field. If you coil that wire into a circle, then one end of the coil will be North, and the other South.

If you arrange a permanent magnet to be inside the loop of the coil, it will become attracted to the coil if it is arranged in the opposite direction. Remember, North attracts South.

If you turn this electromagnet on briefly, then you can give the permanent magnet a slight pull towards the edge of the coil.

As the strength of a magnetic field decreases the further from it you are, this means that the permanent magnet is only attracted to the closest side of the coil.

This arrangement does not give any rotation to the pendulum as the permanent magnet is always attracted to the closest side of the coil. If the coil rotates, another part of the coil would become the new closest part, and so not affect the permanent magnet on the pendulum wire.

your description would slow own the pendulum as much as it speeds it up. I wouldn't explain something if I didn't fully understand it.

As I said, my second posting was a very simplified explanation. If you read my first explanation (which apparently was too technical for you to understand) I did state that they switch off the magnet on the down swing.

So I do fully understand it, and as the switch off the electromagnet on the down swing, it does not slow the pendulum down.

Woah woah woah. What part about your first post did I not understand?

The very fact you don't understand that you can't swing freely with a power source shows your lack of knowledge on the subject. Then you claim a stationary magnet will speed it up when it would act equally in all directions on it.

Well first off you didn't seem to understand that (even though explicitly stated) that the electromagnet was only turned on during the upswing of the pendulum and not the down swing. That there is explicit evidence that you didn't understand what I was saying (or are trolling).

I understood that. Someone explaining it said that it was always on. I misunderstood nothing.

No, you said that my explanation meant that it would slow it down as much as it would accelerate it. So not, it wasn't someone else's explanation you were responding to it was mine. As my explanations specified that it would turn off on the down swing, then you clearly misunderstood my explanation. After all you quoted my explanations when making this criticism.

Specifically:

Quote from: Edtharan on December 10, 2008, 09:02:22 PM

Quote from: Raist on December 10, 2008, 04:32:55 PM

Yes I read it. I simply do not understand how anything being powered is "swinging freely."

Ok, I'll put it really simply:

The North pole of a magnet attracts the South pole of a magnet, and the South pole of a magnet attracts the North pole of a magnet.

With me so far... Now it gets a little hard...

If you run an electric current through a wire, it produces a magnetic field. If you coil that wire into a circle, then one end of the coil will be North, and the other South.

If you arrange a permanent magnet to be inside the loop of the coil, it will become attracted to the coil if it is arranged in the opposite direction. Remember, North attracts South.

If you turn this electromagnet on briefly, then you can give the permanent magnet a slight pull towards the edge of the coil.

As the strength of a magnetic field decreases the further from it you are, this means that the permanent magnet is only attracted to the closest side of the coil.

This arrangement does not give any rotation to the pendulum as the permanent magnet is always attracted to the closest side of the coil. If the coil rotates, another part of the coil would become the new closest part, and so not affect the permanent magnet on the pendulum wire.

your description would slow own the pendulum as much as it speeds it up. I wouldn't explain something if I didn't fully understand it.

Quote from: goldstein on December 11, 2008, 03:19:23 PM

Conclusion: Although museum versions of Foucaults Pendulums have a motor to keep the pendulum moving, there is nothing in the action of that motor which limits the direction of movement.

Except where it increases it. So no.

It increases amplitude, not direction as I have explained. You clearly didn't understand my explanation, since you keep trying to state that this method (which is the method used in museums (as that was where I worked) is not used in museums. As this method does not influence the direction (only the amplitude) if the pendulum, and is used in museums, pleases explain why and how you think it is influencing the direction of the pendulum.

Quote from: goldstein on December 11, 2008, 03:19:23 PM

Conclusion: Although museum versions of Foucaults Pendulums have a motor to keep the pendulum moving, there is nothing in the action of that motor which limits the direction of movement.

Except where it increases it. So no.

Oh no! People, we have an increasing direction! We must prevent this direction from increasing! Wait, hang on... what the hell are you talking about?

Quote from: Raist on December 11, 2008, 03:46:57 PM

Quote from: goldstein on December 11, 2008, 03:19:23 PM

Conclusion: Although museum versions of Foucaults Pendulums have a motor to keep the pendulum moving, there is nothing in the action of that motor which limits the direction of movement.

Except where it increases it. So no.

Oh no! People, we have an increasing direction! We must prevent this direction from increasing! Wait, hang on... what the hell are you talking about?

They're the ones that think free swinging is so important. Ask them.

Quote from: ghazwozza on December 12, 2008, 06:32:30 AM

Quote from: Raist on December 11, 2008, 03:46:57 PM

Quote from: goldstein on December 11, 2008, 03:19:23 PM

Conclusion: Although museum versions of Foucaults Pendulums have a motor to keep the pendulum moving, there is nothing in the action of that motor which limits the direction of movement.

Except where it increases it. So no.

Oh no! People, we have an increasing direction! We must prevent this direction from increasing! Wait, hang on... what the hell are you talking about?

They're the ones that think free swinging is so important. Ask them.

Foucalt's pendulum is important because the direction of swing changes. The amplitude of swing is unimportant. Also, the motor would not change the amplitude, it just keeps it constant (it's there to compensate for losses due to friction).

Now that we've cleared up this matter, the motor does not affect the validity of the experiment, do anyt FE'ers have an explanation? People who hypothesise a "rotational gravitational pull" had better provide some evidence.

Quote from: Raist on December 12, 2008, 06:47:26 AM

They're the ones that think free swinging is so important. Ask them.

*facesmack*

The "increasing direction" (aie) or "amplitude" has no effect on the direction of the pendulum.

Think about pushing someone on a swing. Think about the tiny nudge you have to give them to keep them swinging at the same height. Now imagine your freind on one of these. You keep pushing them to keep the same height, but you don't push to alter the direction. The magnetic circuitry behaves just like you pushing your friend on a swing, its omni directional, keeping the height of the swing the same, yet will not adjust the direction of the swing.

The only way this could be further explained would be in single word posts.

I understand that. The debate was whether it was free swinging or not. Way to debate in a round about way.

Quote from: Raist on December 10, 2008, 04:32:55 PM

I simply do not understand how anything being powered is "swinging freely."

Do you now understand how the pendulum is swinging freely?

It isn't swinging freely.

Quote from: goldstein on December 12, 2008, 08:02:40 AM

Quote from: Raist on December 10, 2008, 04:32:55 PM

I simply do not understand how anything being powered is "swinging freely."

Do you now understand how the pendulum is swinging freely?

It isn't swinging freely.

You're arguing semantics here. The motor is there to counteract friction, so it swings as if it were a free pendulum.

The motor in no way affects the validity of the experiment, so we can forget about it. So, do you have an explanation for Foucalt's pendulum?