Does a Foucault pendulum swing back and forth or rotate?
Swing back and forth
Rotate
Spin in a circle
Both swing and rotate
Answer
The Foucault pendulum rotates. It is a long pendulum suspended from a high point, and it swings in a plane that gradually rotates due to the Earth's rotation. The direction of rotation depends on the location on Earth. This rotation demonstrates the Earth's rotation and illustrates the Coriolis effect, which influences the direction of moving objects on Earth.
The Enigmatic Genius: Uncovering Léon Foucault's Mastery of Physics
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