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An instrument which demonstrates a rotation of the Earth. |
The pendulum loosely suspended over the earth pole continously changes a plane of the swings, showing in this way that the Earth revolves. In lower latitudes a change of the direction of the swings comes slower, on the very equator, however, it does not occur at all. |
If Foucault pendulum was placed on the pole, the plane of its swings would complete a full rotation in 24h (23h 56m) i.e. in time that the Earth needs to make a full rotation on its axis. The time T of the full rotation of the plane of the pendulum swings at the latitude q can be calculated after a formula:
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