Lily Hibberd. Pendule - Léon Foucault, Paul Gustave Froment – Google Cultural Institute. VIDÉO. Léon Foucault ressuscité par Goodle ! Démonstration du pendule de Foucault. File:Foucault-anim.gif. What’s Up With That: How a Swinging Pendulum Proves the Earth Rotates. Once upon a time, you were probably on an elementary school field trip at a science museum or an observatory.
Just before lunch, your teacher had the class stand in a circle around an enormous weight suspended on a string, and watch it swing back and forth, back and forth. The teacher (or maybe a tour guide) explained that if you watched the pendulum for long enough, it would seem to alter its course, swinging in a slightly different direction. And that this somehow proved the Earth was rotating beneath your feet. You probably nodded and watched the weight swing for a while. And even though you didn’t see anything really change, you thought, “Sure,” and then went to trade your friend an Oreo cookie for half of their Hi-C Ecto Cooler.