Does a pendulum in space work?

[axp107]

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I thought that since gravity is a lot less, it would just move slower...

According to EK, a pendulum would not swing on an orbiting spacecraft..

 

[shaqkillz451]

i agree with you. the period of pendulum will be greater but unless there is no affect of gravity (g=0), the pendulum will swing.

 

[SketchLazy]

I thought that since gravity is a lot less, it would just move slower...

According to EK, a pendulum would not swing on an orbiting spacecraft..

Objects in space are in constant free fall towards earth. Since the whole pendulum is in free fall motion, the arm of the pendulum is going at the same speed as the rest of it, and it does not swing.

 

[BrokenGlass]

I thought that since gravity is a lot less, it would just move slower...

According to EK, a pendulum would not swing on an orbiting spacecraft..

In orbit, you are in free-fall; constantly falling towards the center of the Earth. A pendulum in your orbiting spacecraft is no different than you, in that it is aslo constantly falling toward Earth. This means there is no tension in the string holding the pendulum bob, so the pendulum cannot swing back and forth.

 

[axp107]

Oh god...

what if its in space but not in "orbit" (how do you determine that)..

lets say its on the moon.. it'd just swing slower right

 

[mongrel]

Oh god...

what if its in space but not in "orbit" (how do you determine that)..

lets say its on the moon.. it'd just swing slower right

Ha... oh gawwwd agreed. Yes, if you were truly in outer space, not in orbit with all gravitational forces negligible, a pendulum would NOT swing.

Edit: Oh- also yes, on the moon it would swing slower.

 

[axp107]

Ha... oh gawwwd agreed. Yes, if you were truly in outer space, not in orbit with all gravitational forces negligible, a pendulum would NOT swing.

Edit: Oh- also yes, on the moon it would swing slower.

huh.. the guy above said it would not swing if you "were" in orbit..

but isn't everything in orbit somewhat b/c of the universal gravitational law

 

[mongrel]

huh.. the guy above said it would not swing if you "were" in orbit..

but isn't everything in orbit somewhat b/c of the universal gravitational law

Oops, yah I should read more than the last post... EK is right. As long as the spacecraft's mass is negligible, the pendulum wouldn't swing.