Where is the point from which a suspended pendulum would swing forever?

Question

I mean, is there a center of the universe or something similar?

Answer 1

Not sure if the locality of the pendulum would matter so long as you have gravity, a pendulum would swing. So from that point of view, the centre of the universe, assuming that is in deep space and not under the influence of any strong gravitational pull would not be it.

A pendulum swinging can be explained by the principle of the conservation of energy - energy cannot be destroyed or created, only transferred from one form to another. A pendulum at the top of it swing would have x amount of potential energy. When it reaches the bottom of the swing, its velocity is at its highest and, assuming there's no friction or resistance, its kinetic energy would be the same amount. In real life, with air resistance, friction, etc., the amount of energy a pendulum has at the bottom of its swing would be x minus the sum of all the energy lost through air resistance, friction, etc. So with every swing, a pendulum has less and less energy by losing it in the form of sound energy, heat, etc.

A pendulum would, in theory swing forever if you eliminate the elements that would stop it, ie: air resistance, friction of the mechanism that is suspending the pendulum, movement of the whole structure that supports the pendulum, etc.

A pendulum that swings forever would be the perpetual motion machine.. quite a difficult feat.

Answer 2

The "center of the Universe" is both nowhere and everywhere.

There is no one point that can be called the center of the Universe because there are no observable edges to the Universe.

If you consider the location of the Big Bang to be the center of the Universe, you have another problem because the Universe existed at only one point at the time of the Big Bang and so that one point *IS* the entire Universe.

As for your endlessly-swinging pendulum, there is no place this could happen because friction, such as the friction inside the cable holding the pendulum or air resistance, always saps energy from the swinging bob. This frictional loss can be overcome by adding energy back into the pendulum; that is the purpose of the weights under a mechanical clock.

Answer 3

I do not believe that point exists. For a pendulum will eventually act as a surveyors plumb line and by gravity will come to rest perpendicular to the center of the earth. The Foucoult (sp) at the Smithsonian (recently taken down) was kept going by an electromagnet ring in the ceiling timed to help pull the bob along its way.

Answer 4

real, there will be little or no atmospheric friction to slow the move of this kind of pendulum, notwithstanding the tug of the moon's gravity, besides the actual incontrovertible reality that a weaker pressure than gravity in the international or on any more desirable body, would nevertheless be at paintings. One would assume the pendulum to go back to a end ultimately, all different issues being equivalent.

Answer 5

Only in a vacuum my friend. For it to swing forever no other forces must be able to act on it and as far as I'm aware that can only exist in a vacuum. Some bright spark might no otherwise though.

Answer 6

Absolutely anywhere on earth.... you do need gravity to make it swing. What you dont need is any movement to upset the oscilations and any form of resistance... no air hence vaccum. Thats all.

Universe has not yet been defined..... its like infinity. Finding the centre of the universe is like dividing infinity by 2 and expecting an answer. There is one..... its called infinity.

Answer 7

sorry to disappoint ya mate, but there is no point where that could happen, cos we cannot achieve perpetual motion, even if you found a vacuum, it would not provide the absolute and perfect conditions necessary. In the correct atmosphere, you could probably keep something goin for many years, but would always be slowing down, then eventually stop.

Answer 8

Dont think there is one cause that would mean you had perpetual motion which is not possible if it was possible we would be able to produce free green energy for ever

Answer 9

what's a centre of universe

Answer 10

Exactly what Jimbo said.