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Webster 1913 Edition
Pendulum
Pen′du-lum
,Noun.
pl.
Pendulums
(#)
. [NL., fr. L.
pendulus
hanging, swinging. See Pendulous
.] A body so suspended from a fixed point as to swing freely to and fro by the alternate action of gravity and momentum. It is used to regulate the movements of clockwork and other machinery.
☞ The time of oscillation of a pendulum is independent of the arc of vibration, provided this arc be small.
Ballistic pendulum
. See under
– Ballistic
. Compensation pendulum
, a clock pendulum in which the effect of changes of temperature of the length of the rod is so counteracted, usually by the opposite expansion of differene metals, that the distance of the center of oscillation from the center of suspension remains invariable; as, the
– mercurial compensation pendulum
, in which the expansion of the rod is compensated by the opposite expansion of mercury in a jar constituting the bob; the gridiron pendulum
, in which compensation is effected by the opposite expansion of sets of rods of different metals. Compound pendulum
, an ordinary pendulum; – so called, as being made up of different parts, and contrasted with
– simple pendulum
. Conical pendulum
or Revolving pendulum
a weight connected by a rod with a fixed point; and revolving in a horizontal circle about the vertical from that point.
– Pendulum bob
, the weight at the lower end of a pendulum.
– Pendulum level
, a plumb level. See under
– Level
. Pendulum wheel
, the balance of a watch.
– Simple pendulum
or Theoretical pendulum
an imaginary pendulum having no dimensions except length, and no weight except at the center of oscillation; in other words, a material point suspended by an ideal line.
Webster 1828 Edition
Pendulum
PEND'ULUM
,Noun.
Definition 2024
pendulum
pendulum
English
Noun
pendulum (plural pendulums or pendula) (See usage notes.)
- A body suspended from a fixed support so that it swings freely back and forth under the influence of gravity, commonly used to regulate various devices such as clocks.
Usage notes
The plural form pendula is significantly rarer than pendulums; see etymology at pendula for details. However, pendula is occasionally used in physics.
Translations
body suspended from a fixed support
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Related terms
See also
Latin
Adjective
pendulum
- nominative neuter singular of pendulus
- accusative masculine singular of pendulus
- accusative neuter singular of pendulus
- vocative neuter singular of pendulus
References
- PENDULUM in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)