pendulum motion

Pendulum motion occurs when an object, like a weight attached to a string, swings back and forth under gravity. When displaced from its resting position, gravity pulls it back, causing it to accelerate towards the center. As it passes through equilibrium, it gains speed, then slows down and reaches a maximum displacement on the other side, where gravity temporarily stops it before reversing direction. This repeating cycle results in periodic, harmonic motion, with the time of each swing depending on factors like the length of the pendulum and gravity. It demonstrates how energy shifts between potential and kinetic forms during each swing.