Maxwell's pendulum

Maxwell's pendulum 3D virtual laboratory work on physics (section: Mechanics).

Purpose: Simulation of a laboratory work on general physics.

PURPOSE: Confirmation of conservation of energy by using Maxwell's pendulum.

DESCRIPTION: The disk of a Maxwell pendulum is suspended on strings at both ends of its axis so that the strings can be wound around the axis of the disk. As it moves, the potential energy of the pendulum is converted into kinetic energy and back. The process of moving the pendulum up and down is repeated until the potential energy gained by the initial height of the disk is completely lost through reflection and friction. In this experiment, a photoelectric light barrier is set at different heights so that the axis of the Maxwell disk repeatedly crosses the beam of light. The instantaneous velocity of the pendulum can be determined from the time between the crossings of the light beam and its kinetic energy can be calculated from this velocity.