No forces act to make the plane of oscillation of the pendulum rotate - the plane contains the plumb line, so the force acting on the pendulum is parallel to the plane of oscillation at all times.
A Foucault Pendulum is a device that demonstrates the rotation of the Earth. It consists of a long pendulum suspended from a fixed point, with a weight at the end. As the pendulum swings back and forth, the Earth rotates beneath it, causing the pendulum to appear to change direction over time.
The Foucault Pendulum was invented by French physicist Léon Foucault in 1851. He was inspired by the work of French mathematician Jean-Bernard-Léon Foucault and built the first pendulum in his basement.
The Foucault Pendulum works due to the principle of conservation of momentum. As the pendulum swings back and forth, the Earth rotates underneath it, causing the pendulum to appear to change direction. This is because the Earth's rotation is shifting the pendulum's plane of oscillation.
The purpose of the Foucault Pendulum is to demonstrate the rotation of the Earth. It is also used as a teaching tool in physics and astronomy to illustrate concepts such as angular momentum and the Coriolis effect.
No, the Foucault Pendulum cannot be used to determine one's location on Earth. It only demonstrates the rotation of the Earth and is not precise enough to be used for navigation purposes.