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26 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
amplitude
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The linear distance or the extent of the movement from the center point to one side.
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Huygens
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A Dutch mathematician and scientist who designed a workable mechanism for a pendulum clock.
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Center of mass
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The middle of an object.
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Weight
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A bob, or an object, at the end of a pendulum.
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Energy
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The ability to do work and to cause motion.
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Symmetry
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A balanced pattern on each side of a fixed point; pendulum paths are symmetrical because the pattern is identical on either side of the center.
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Inertia
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An object at rest, or an object moving, will remain at rest or moving until acted upon by another force (such as gravity); resistance to motion, action, or change.
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Pendulum
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A suspended weight that can be set in motion to swing back and forth from a fixed point. A simple device whose motion depends on gravity.
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Constants
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Things that remain unchanged in an experiment or process.
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Coupled pendulums
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Two separately hung pendulums that are linked together below their pivot points.
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Bob
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A weight suspended at the end of a pendulum in such a way that it is free to swing back and forth.
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Coupled pendulums
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Two separately hung pendulums that are linked together below their pivot points.
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Cycle
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A round trip; one swing out and back of the pendulum.
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Friction
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A force that acts to resist motion (movement) between two surface.
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Newton
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An English mathematician, scientist, and philosopher. Major works include his theories on gravity, color, and differential calculus. In the pendulum experiments, Newton's laws of motion can be observed.
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Period
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The duration of a single cycle; the time that a pendulum takes to complete one cycle (one swing out and back).
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Pullback distance
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A term that refers to the distance between the center point of a bob and its point of release.
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Frequency
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The number of waves or complete cycles per unit of time; the number of cycles (round trips) the pendulum makes in a set period of time (usually one minute).
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Oscillation
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A cycle.
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Variable
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Something in an experiment that changes; an experimental factor that is supposed to change so the scientist can determine if a certain action is caused by that variable.
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Gravity
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A force that pulls objects toward the center of the earth, measured by weight; mutual attraction between all masses in the universe.
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Patterns
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Designs consisting of repeated lines and shapes.
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Round trip
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A cycle; one swing of a pendulum out and back.
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Galileo
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An Italian scientist of astronomy and physics. He believed that discovering accurately how natural phenomena occured was more important to scientific advancement than reaching conclusions.
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Stick pendulum
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A type of pendulum that has a stick instead of a string; for example, a grandfather clock has a stick pendulum.
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Hypothesis
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An idea not proved, but assumed to be possible. An assumption used as a basis for action; an "educated guess."
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