The conical pendulum, or a free swinging weight on a line anchored on a hook, has been studied for centuries. Watching its circular movements have brought greater understanding to the movements of the planets and the theory of gravity. A French physicist created a conical pendulum so large, once it was set in motion, it moved through 360 degrees of motion in 24 hours creating a timepiece accurate to within a few seconds per day.
Pit and Pendulum
