Syntax

Overview
Pendulums fall into a class of simple harmonic oscillators in which the elasticity is due to gravity rather than that of a spring or twisted wire being compressed or stretched. The Simple Pendulum consists of a mass suspended at the end of a massless string that is fixed at one end. A Physical Pendulum can have a complicated distribution of mass suspended at the end of a massless string and the movements don't necessarily have to move from left to right.
Equations
Torque = -Length (L)(Force of gravity (Fgsin(theta))
Inertia (I) = (1/12)ML2
Period (T) = 2pi (sqrt(L / g) = 2pi(sqrt(I/mgh))
-L(mgsin(theta)) = I*(alpha)
Alpha = -(mgh / I) * theta
Velocity (v) = -wxmsin(wt + phase constant or phase angle (phi))
Acceleration (a) = -w2xmcos(wt + phi)
A physical pendulum consists of a meter stick that is pivoted at a small hole drilled through a stick a distance d from the 50 cm mark. The period of oscillation is 2.5s find d.
A pendulum is formed by pivoting a long string of length L, that is massless about a point on the string that is a distance d above the center of the string. (a) Find the period of this pendulum in terms of d, L, and g, assuming small-amplitude swinging. What happens to the period if (b) d is decreased, or (c) L is increased
Special Cases

A Special Case would be the ballistic pendulum. The ballistic pendulum consists of a mass with a velocity v providing a force to a mass suspended at the end of a string through elastic collision.
For an example, follow this link:
http://farside.ph.utexas.edu/teaching/301/lectures/node96.html
Applications

Use the pendulum to regulate the motion of the hands of a clock, such as in grandfather clocks. Everytime the pendulum swings the gear moves one notch and this leads to other gears moving the hands of the clock
External Links
- [http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/Hbase/balpen.html] - Further Explanation
- [http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/pendulum.htm] - Further Explanation
- [http://webphysics.davidson.edu/physlet_resources/bu_semester1/c12_ballistic.html] - This has a demonstration that you can watch
Joke
