The swinging of Foucault’s Pendulum proves that the earth is rotating on an axis. A pendulum consists of a weight supported by a string that moves backwards and forwards in an arc. Gravity and inertia cause the pendulum to swing down and up and out, and they allow the weight to stay constantly in motion once it’s in motion. (Beynon) In 1851, Foucault discovered the pendulum with a six and a half feet long wire and an eleven pound bob. Foucault theorized that the pendulum will oscillate in a circle 270 degree clockwise in 24 hours since the latitude of France was 270 degrees. If the pendulum oscillated 270 degrees in 24 hours, it means the earth does rotate completely in a circle in one day. He then moved on to make presentations of his research with longer wires and a bigger bob at the Paris Observatory in France. (Beynon) The pendulum did indeed make a complete 270 degree rotation within 24 hours in France proving Foucault’s theory of the pendulum correct! …show more content…
If the pendulum made a 360 degree rotation on every point on earth, this means that the earth is not on an axis which proves Foucault’s theory wrong. The rotations of the pendulum are seen differently at varying locations depending on each locations’ latitude. If the pendulum was set in the North Pole, the pendulum will start at 0 degrees and make a clockwise 360 degree rotation. In Los Angeles at about a 200 degree latitude, the pendulum should make a complete 200 degree rotation to prove that the earth rotates on an axis. (Beynon) This means that at the equator, Foucault’s Pendulum will not work because the latitude is 0. Anything in the southern region of the equator will make a counterclockwise rotation. For example, the pendulum will make a counterclockwise 360 degree rotation in the South