Google
Google for Education: Modeling Pendulums Using Computational Thinking
In this demonstration, students learn how to use computational thinking to discover the laws which govern a pendulum's swing.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Cross Reference: Harmonic Motion
A page which cross-references various museum exhibits pertaining to harmonic motion. Page also contains an animation depicting the sinusoidal nature of simple harmonic motion.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Into the Swing of Things
Students learn the basic properties of periodic and harmonic motion, and how the rearrangement of the simple pendulum equation can be used to solve for gravitational acceleration, pendulum length, and gravity. At lesson end, students are...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: The Science of Swinging
Students learn what a pendulum is and how it works in the context of amusement park rides. While exploring the physics of pendulums, they are also introduced to Newton's first law of motion - about continuous motion and inertia.
SRI International
Performance Assessment Links in Science: Observing Objects
This is a performance task for Grade Four students where they observe two different pendulums and compare the two types of motion. The activity is designed for a lab setting where students work at individual stations. A rubric and...
American Association of Physics Teachers
Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Swinging Atwood's Machine Model
Variation on the standard Atwood's Machine model, where one hanging mass swings like a pendulum and the other remains stationary. Manipulate the conditions and observe the results.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12 Exploration Series: Simulations: Physics: Ballistics Tests
[Free Registration/Login Required] Practice with the concepts of conservation of momentum and energy by analyzing a special case of the ballistic pendulum.
Concord Consortium
The Concord Consortium: Molecular Workbench: Pendulum, Slider, and Spring
Observe the motion of this animated system to represent an analogy for molecular mechanics of atoms and molecules.
Concord Consortium
The Concord Consortium: Molecular Workbench: A Pendulum
Change the mass of a suspended object to see how its movement and forces are affected by gravity.
Concord Consortium
Concord Consortium: Molecular Workbench: Inverted Pendulum on Oscillatory Base
Adjust variables in this simulation and observe as the results of your changes are graphed.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Hanging Out With Galileo
Students isolate the factors that determine the period of a pendulum, and then test their hypotheses to determine if their experimental results come close to the mathematical results.
University of Guelph
University of Guelph: Physics Tutorials: Amplitude, Period, and Frequency
A tutorial describing the characteristics of simple harmonic motion. Utilizes animations, mathematical equations, and interactive questions to teach essential principles.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Swing in Time
Students examine the motion of pendulums and come to understand that the longer the string of the pendulum, the fewer the number of swings in a given time interval. They see that changing the weight on the pendulum does not have an...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Galileo: His Experiments
This interactive activity from the NOVA Web site samples Galileo's experiments with falling objects, projectiles, inclined planes, and pendulums.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Mechanics Mania
Through ten lessons and numerous activities, students explore the natural universal rules engineers and physicists use to understand how things move and stay still. Together, these rules are called "mechanics." The study of mechanics is...
University of Maryland
Thinking Problems in Oscillations and Waves
A series of thought-provoking, multichoice questions from the University of Maryland on the topic of oscillations and waves. Equations for calculating the period of motion for masses on springs, pendulums, sounds, and waves on a string...
Science Struck
Science Struck: A Comprehensive List of All the Physics Formulas
Provides a long list of physics formulas for easy reference.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: Open Course Ware: Courses: Physics: Classical Mechanics
College-level online course highlighting the study of classical mechanics. This course focuses on Newtonian mechanics, fluid mechanics, and kinetic gas theory. Course features include a 35 video lecture series by Walter Lewin. Also link...
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments: How Can a Clock Part Measure Gravity?
In this activity students will learn how to make a simple pendulum. Students' will use a motion detector to measure the period of a pendulum and calculate its acceleration.They will also understand the effect that gravity has on the...
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments: Swinging Along
Students model the data from the motion of a pendulum by a periodic function. They relate its parameters to the time for one period, the distance it is pulled back, and its distance from the motion detector.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Strange Attractor
Explore the chaotic motion of a pendulum that is swinging above several magnets that are fixed in place and see what patterns you can find.
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)
Smile: How to Speed Up a Slow Grandfather: The Pendulum
In this lesson plan students are "given one hour to solve a problem that a has caused a huge drop in sales" for a clock company. All clocks are five minutes slow. Because of this, they must find a way to put the clock back on time...
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Work, Energy, and Power: Mechanical Energy Is Conserved
In this interactive exercise, explore the quantitative relationship between work and mechanical energy in situations in which there are no external forces doing work.