Discuss how energy conservation applies to a swinging pendulum. Where is potential energy the most? The least? Where is kinetic energy the most? The least? Where is the pendulum bob moving fastest? Slowest?

What will be an ideal response?


The swinging pendulum has the most gravitational potential energy at the top of its swing. It has the most kinetic energy at the bottom of its swing, where its potential energy is at a minimum. Halfway down, it has half kinetic and half potential energy. Everywhere along the swing the sum of the kinetic and potential energies is the same. When air resistance and friction are taken into account, energy is transferred from the pendulum to the surrounding space in the form of heat.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

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Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences