Pendulum dance

How does the exhibit work?

Turn the green wheel. This causes the balls to start moving.

What is the science behind it?

These balls perform exactly the same dance every time! The balls all begin together, change into a snake and then this disappears. Then they swing in the opposite direction, before moving chaotically then ... suddenly come back together. Be sure to keep watching long enough to admire this beautiful dance.

The 11 balls hanging on the strings are pendulums. Each ball weighs exactly the same, yet they don’t all swing at the same speed. That’s due to the length of the strings! The ball with the longest string takes the longest to swing backwards and forwards once. The ball with the shortest string is the fastest. They make beautiful patterns … until the pendulums finally stop due to friction with their suspension points and the air.

Pendulum as protection from earthquakes

A tall building is vulnerable to earthquakes. But you can easily fix that… with a pendulum hanging from inside the top of the building.

How does it work?

In the event of an earthquake, the pendulum moves in the same direction as the building, but slightly slower. If the building then bounces back, the pendulum slows down the return of the building. That dampens the vibrations.

Pendulums as swings

Do you want to take a long time to go back and forth on a swing? Then choose the swing with the longest rope. The swing with the shortest rope is the fastest.