A Foucault pendulum is observed to swing back-and-forth once every 20 seconds.
What is its frequency?
frequency is the inverse of the period
The frequency of a pendulum is the number of swings it completes in a given time. In this case, the pendulum swings back and forth once every 20 seconds.
To calculate the frequency, we need to find the reciprocal of the time it takes for one complete swing. In other words, it is the inverse of the period.
The formula for frequency is:
Frequency = 1 / Period
Since the pendulum swings once every 20 seconds, the period is 20 seconds.
Plugging this value into the formula:
Frequency = 1 / 20 seconds
Calculating the value, the frequency of the Foucault pendulum is:
Frequency = 0.05 Hz
So, the frequency of the pendulum is 0.05 Hertz (Hz), meaning it completes one swing every 0.05 seconds.