Re: Pendulum mechanics

Michael M. Butler (butler@comp*lib.org)
Fri, 18 Jul 1997 22:28:55 -0700


>action/reaction holds, as it is popularly understood, the rider should
>not be able to gain any momentum on each swing without causing a
>reaction....

I think I know where you're headed with this one, Michael. :)

But the conventional explanation is the same as the "jogger in the
O'Neill cylinder" explanation: the reaction is a tiny cyclic change
in angular momentum of the entire Earth, every full swing.

MMB

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