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Physics LibreTexts

20.2: Introduction

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A swing at the park is an example of a pendulum.  The period of a swing, or pendulum, is the time required for the pendulum to circle back to its beginning point, after traveling outward (i.e., from A to B back to A).  

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Figure \PageIndex{1}: Period of a swing, or pendulum

Conservation of energy maintains the motion of the pendulum, as Gravitational Potential Energy (GPE) is converted to Kinetic Energy (KE), and KE is converted back into GPE.  A swing at the park is just a pendulum with a length, and you are the mass.  As you swing, the angle with respect to vertical changes.

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20.2: Introduction is shared under a CC BY license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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