What Is a Teeter Point in Movement and Its Theoretical Significance?

[scott_sieger]

Hi,

When a pendulum is swung and it reaches a point of reverse direction, there is a moment in time and space that the pendulum and the observer is effected by.

A point where a given movement either starts, reverses or is changed.

This point in time and space I call a "Teeter point" .

Is there a conventional word currently in use to describe this action or should I say, moment of inaction?

Is there any theories or ideas about this "teeter point"?

 

[jcsd]

A pendulum is subject to simple harmonic motion (well not actually tue as a relaistic pendulum is subject to damped simple harmonic motion, but the better the pendulum the better it approximates to simple harmonc motion which ignores forces such as friction).

The 'teeter point' doesn't have a special name though, it is often called x_max and at this point v = 0 and |a| = a_max, that is to say it has a velocity of zero and a maximum accleration.

 

[HallsofIvy]

Mathematically, its a "critical point".