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whozum
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Why do grandfather clocks keep going? The only way I see htis working is if the chamber has no air (vacuum).
In the absence of any kind of friction, it would never lose energy, so yes, in theory. Of course, no real pendulum can ever be totally free of all friction, so no, in practice.whozum said:Slightly deviating: Provided a simple pendulum in vacuum, would it swing forever? Close to?
Precisely.whozum said:Im saying putting it in a vacuum, as close a vacuum as possible. There will be an extremely small bit of friction from possibly stray air molecules, and some from the junction of string and ceiling.
Sure, you can spend some engineering effort to design a pendulum support that will allow the pendulum to lose only a specified amount of its energy in a specified time. For example, you could design a pendulum that would only lose 1% of its energy to friction in a week, but that design will be more difficult than one that loses 10% of its energy in a week. There is, however, no practical way to design a pendulum that never loses any energy.My question is in a practical sense, are those small enough to neglect for a certain time (that is reasonable for a clock of such delicate construction) before recalibration? I'm talking at least a week or so. We can attribute the error in the correct time to the energy lost in friction.
The period does not stay exactly the same when its displacement changes. That approximate relationship is due to taking the "small angle approximation" of the sine function:But even if some energy is lost, is the period of a pendulum not the same regardless of the displacement from equilibrium? If not, perhaps we could adjust our detector to compensate for such effects?
FredGarvin said:Here you go Brewnog...The anniversary clock has a rotating pendulum. Those aer the ones I was referring to.
Grandfather clocks keep going because they are designed with a pendulum and a weight-driven mechanism that keeps the clock ticking. The pendulum swings back and forth, causing the gears and hands of the clock to move, and the weights provide the energy needed to keep the clock running.
The lifespan of a grandfather clock can vary depending on the quality and maintenance of the clock. However, with proper care and regular maintenance, a grandfather clock can last for several decades or even centuries.
A grandfather clock can stop for various reasons, such as the pendulum being out of sync, the weights running out of energy, or the clock needing to be wound. It is important to regularly maintain and check a grandfather clock to ensure it keeps running smoothly.
To keep a grandfather clock going, it is important to regularly wind the clock and make sure the weights have enough energy. It is also essential to keep the clock clean and oiled to prevent any malfunctions or damage to the mechanism.
Yes, a grandfather clock can be fixed if it stops. However, it is recommended to seek the help of a professional clock technician or repair person to avoid causing further damage to the clock. Regular maintenance and proper care can also prevent the clock from stopping in the first place.