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How to Build a Swinging Pendulum

Swinging pendulums are used in many mathematical experiments and expressions. Pendulums work to tell time, keep a beat and even figure out the slope of an area depending on how the pendulum swings. The basic principle of a swinging pendulum utilizes a center point and weighted end for consistent swinging.

Things You'll Need

1 1-inch-by-4-inch board, 3 feet long
Ruler
Pencil
2 pieces of 1-inch-by-1-inch board, 1½ feet long
4 2-inch screws, flat head screws
Screwdriver
1 piece of 1-inch-by-1-inch board, 2½ feet long
Eyehook screw
Piece of string, at least 1 foot long
Large fishhook
4 nuts

Instructions

- 1
  Measure 3 inches from each end of the 1-inch-by-4-inch board and mark the spot with the pencil. This will serve as the base for your pendulum.
- 2
  Place the center of one of the 1-inch-by-1-inch boards over one of the pencil marks. This should be one of the boards that measures 1½ feet long.
- 3
  Use the screwdriver to put a screw through the baseboard and into the 1-inch-by-1-inch board on the other side. Fully screw in the hardware so it's flush with the bottom of the board. Repeat on the other side.
- 4
  Place the 2½-foot board across the top of the new standing boards. Connect this board on either end with the remaining screws. You now have a solid stand.
- 5
  Measure the top board, using the pencil to mark the center of the board. Screw in the eyehook from the bottom of the board so the eye is on the side closest to the baseboard.
- 6
  Tie the string on the eye of the hardware. On the opposite end of the string, connect the fishhook.
- 7
  Place one nut on the end of the fishhook. This completes the pendulum. You can add additional nuts to weight the system more and change the time frame of the swinging pendulum.

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