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If astronauts built a pendulum on the Moon that was exactly the same as one on Earth, what would be different about the pendulum's motion
- If astronauts built a pendulum on the Moon that was exactly the same as one on Earth, what would be different about the pendulum's motion on the Moon?
- a. It would run slower.
- b. The pendulum would not run at all because things on the Moon are weightless.
- c. There would be no difference if they were identical.
- d. It would run faster
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The correct answer is a It would run slower To understand why we need to discuss how a pendulum moves A simple pendulum is a mass often called a pendulum bob suspended from a point from where it can swing back and forth The motion of a pendulum relies heavily on the force of gravity The stronger the force of gravity the quicker the pendulum bob swings back and forth and vice versa On Earth the force of gravity pulls the pendulum bob down causing it to swing back and forth When you lift the pendulum bob and let go gravity pulls it downwards and creates this swinging motion Now the gravitational pull on the moon is weaker than the gravitational pull on Earth approximately 16th of the Earths gravity Hence if a pendulum is set up on the moon exactly as on Earth then the force acting to return the bob pendulum end to the equilibrium position or rest point is less This means it will take more time for the pendulum to swing back and forth ie the period of the pendulums swing would increase making the pendulum move ...Get Instant Access to Expert-Tailored Solutions
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