physical pendulum
- noun
- /ˈfɪzɪkəl ˈpɛndələm/
- Specialized
:
péndulo físico
- The motion of a physical pendulum can be analyzed to determine its moment of inertia.
Examples
-
Unlike a simple point mass, a physical pendulum swings with a period affected by its shape.
-
Engineers often use a physical pendulum to measure the distribution of mass in irregular objects.
-
The physical pendulum swings back and forth.
-
A physical pendulum can demonstrate principles of mechanics.
-
A physical pendulum swings back and forth, demonstrating the principles of rotational motion.
-
In physics experiments, students often use a physical pendulum to explore the effects of mass distribution on oscillation.
-
To illustrate torque in class, the teacher set up a physical pendulum that rotated around a fixed axis.
Synonyms
A stiff object that swings back and forth from a horizontal support that is not at its middle point
Surface Forms
Morphology
A B1 learner who knows 'physical' (tangible, real-world) and 'pendulum' (a swinging weight) will readily infer that this is a type or instance of a pendulum made from a physical body rather than an idealized point mass. However, the specific technical sense—a rigid body rotating about an axis not through its center of mass—is specialized and not fully predictable from the constituents, so the term is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Physical pendulum comes from the idea of a physical, real object used as a pendulum, such as a board or wheel hung so it can swing. Because the whole object moves, not just a single weight, its swing depends on the object's shape and where it is hung, so the term means 'a solid body that swings around an axis not through its centre'.
