Some authorities ascribe the invention of the pendulum clock to Galileo, while others credit Christiaan Huygens. This disagreement arises because Galileo first noted, about 1583, the relative constancy of a pendulum’s period, but Huygens created a clock in 1656 that relied on the movement of a pendulum at a truly constant rate.
When was the pendulum clock invented?
What are pendulums used for?
Different types of pendulums have different applications. Examples of simple pendulums are found in clocks, swing sets, and even the natural mechanics of swinging legs. Tetherballs are examples of spherical pendulums. Schuler pendulums are used in some inertial guidance systems, while certain compound pendulums have applications in measuring the acceleration of gravity.
