G1-82: PENDULUM WAVES

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PURPOSE: To create waves in a very dramatic way using a series of fifteen carefully adjusted independent pendula.
DESCRIPTION: After the pendula are started into oscillation with the same phase, they pass through a series of various standing wave and traveling wave patterns, finally returning to their initial mode, in which they were all in phase. This is a GREAT demonstration - takes about one minute.
SUGGESTIONS: Practice starting it so that the pendula continue to swing transverse to the support bar and do not hit each other.
REFERENCES: Available.
on our apparatus. The web site Pendulum Waves: A Lesson in Aliasing, by James Flaten and Kevin Parendo contains interesting computer simulations of this apparatus. We have produced videos of the action in several formats:

• 8.0 megabyte mpeg Video (excellent quality)
• 1.8 megabyte Quicktime Video (poor quality)
• 870 kilobyte Real Media Video (good quality)
• 1.7 megabyte Windows Media Video (excellent quality)