Pendulum (mechanics)

A pendulum is a weight suspended by a rope or chain from a fixed point. When the weight is pulled away from the fixed point and then released, the weight swings back and forth like a pendulum. This is because the force of gravity is pulling the weight toward the fixed point. The pendulum keeps swinging back and forth because the rope or chain provides a little bit of resistance to the moving weight. With this resistance, the pendulum never stops moving until it eventually slows down due to friction.