Wave Pendulum
A wave pendulum is a series of pendulums of varying lengths that create wave-like patterns when oscillated simultaneously...
A wave pendulum is a physics gadget (but also a kinetic art installation) composed of a series of pendulums of different lengths. Each pendulum is suspended from a common support. The unique feature of the wave pendulum is that each pendulum has a slightly different length, which causes them to have different oscillation periods. When all the pendulums are released simultaneously, they start to swing back and forth in seemingly random motions, but over time they create interesting wave-like patterns.
The simple principle behind the wave pendulum lies in the relationship between the length of a pendulum and its period of oscillation. Longer pendulums have longer periods, while shorter pendulums have shorter periods (the period is proportional to the square root of the length of the pendulum). This difference in oscillation periods causes the pendulums to go in and out of phase with each other over some period of time.
As the pendulums swing, they initially appear to move independently, but soon patterns emerge due to the synchronization and de-synchronization of their swings. These patterns can range from orderly waves and ripples to more chaotic and random movements. The visual effect is a dynamic, flowing wave that changes continuously, demonstrating the effects of the periodic motion and resonance.