Chronology Lab

Pendulum physics

Understanding how pendulums turned time into predictable swings.

The swing

Mechanics

A pendulum keeps time because its period depends only on its length: longer pendulums swing slower, making them the first precise regulators of seconds.

Equation: \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{L/g}\) (where \(T\) is the period, \(L\) the length, and \(g\) gravitational acceleration).

Keep the pendulum concept in mind when designing intervals, because the natural swing orbits align with seconds and can guide your pacing.

Legacy

Impact

Huygens’ pendulum cut mechanical drift to seconds per day—replacing sundials with unstoppable ticks.