Pendulums

[rov1200]

When the pendulum is released in the Science Museum in Kensington for what length of time will it keep moving? Also is this time dependent on where it is released?

[Huderon]

The one at the Science Museum is kept in constant motion by a motor, attached to a sensor, which gently raises and lowers the pendulum pivot.. The previous one had to be re-swung about once an hour.

[joggerjayne]

Not like Foucault's Pendulum, then.

[Clanad]

Here in the U.S., the Foucault Pendulums displayed in several Science Museums use a Magnetic Sucker to maintain the amplitude (distance of swing)of the pendulum. It's an ingenious timed magnetic field that gently assists the pendulum to swing for extended time periods so as to entertain the viewers...

[New Judge]

Yes it is a Foucault pendulum. That term is used to describe an experimental apparatus which demonstrates that a pendulum continues to swing in the same plane in space, even though the Earth is revolving beneath it.

The motorised versions described simply keep it swinging without it having to be released freshly at regular intervals.

[rov1200]

Interesting! If the motor is only required to kick the pendulum into motion once every hour or so, how much energy could the pendulum produce in between, a surplus maybe?

[ChuckFickens]

it doesn't produce any engery, it loses it through friction and wind resistance and by having to swing against gravity, thats why it's needs a kick every now and then to keep it going.

[rov1200]

Isn't kinetic energy classed as a force?

[rov1200]

Just 1h hour ago this page was put on the net saying how electricity could be made from kinetic energy

http://www.***********.com/news/story/Octillio n-Builds-Intellectual-Property-Portfolio/story .aspx?guid=%7B45989596-6D00-4F74-A8BA-D288C42C 35CE%7D

[rov1200]

Sorry, this is the correct page:

http://www.***********.com:80/news/story/Octil lion-Builds-Intellectual-Property-Portfolio/st ory.aspx?guid=%7B45989596-6D00-4F74-A8BA-D288C 42C35CE%7D

[rov1200]

Strange it alters whats in my browser address to the above.

[rov1200]

I'll try taking an extract from the article

PRESS RELEASE
Octillion Builds Intellectual Property Portfolio for Generating Electricity Using Wasted Energy from Moving Vehicles
Octillion Files Brand New Patents after Accelerating Engineering Efforts; Company on Track as Early Commercial Player for Harvesting Wasted Kinetic Energy to Generate Electricity.

Last update: 9:15 a.m. EST Dec. 16, 2008
WASHINGTON, Dec 16, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Octillion Corp. (OCTL:octillion corp com new
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Last: 0.11-0.02-15.38%

10:18am 12/16/2008

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Sponsored by:

OCTL 0.11, -0.02, -15.4%) , a next-generation alternative and renewable energy technology developer, today announced that the Company has filed its initial set of patents with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and is building an intellectual property portfolio related to the development of first-generation devices capable of generating electricity by harvesting wasted energy from vehicles in motion.

[rov1200]

http://www.octillioncorp.com/OCTL_20081208.htm l