Foucault pendulum
Sign in to savesimple device conceived as an experiment to demonstrate the rotation of the Earth
AI overview
A Foucault pendulum is a simple device that swings back and forth in a fixed plane while the Earth rotates beneath it, making it appear to change direction over time. By observing this shift in the pendulum's swing, people can see direct physical proof that the Earth is rotating.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Article
Foucault's pendulum in the Panthéon, Paris The Foucault pendulum or Foucault's pendulum is a simple device named after French physicist Léon Foucault, conceived as an experiment to demonstrate the Earth's rotation. If a long and heavy pendulum suspended from the high roof above a circular area is monitored over an extended period of time, its plane of oscillation appears to change spontaneously as the Earth makes its 24-hourly rotation. This effect is greatest at the poles and diminishes with lower latitude until it no longer exists at Earth's equator.
Foucault introduced his pendulum in 1851 in the first experiment to give simple, direct evidence of the Earth's rotation, which he further demonstrated in 1852 with a gyroscope experiment. Foucault pendulums have become popular in science museums and universities.