Foucault's Pendulum

‘You are invited to see the Earth turn’, extract from an invitation to a scientific demonstration by Léon Foucault (1819-68)

A mesmerising desk ornament inspired by the pioneering Foucault Pendulum, the first instrument to directly demonstrate the Earth’s rotation in a famous 1851 experiment by the revered French physicist Léon Foucault (1819-68). Suspend the iron and steel bob from the 38cm plastic arm and watch as the tip of the bob gradually inscribes geometric patterns in the sand tray; the angular shifts in the swinging movement is created by the rotation of the planet and moves in accordance with movements predicted in Foucault’s sine law. Foucault’s public demonstration at Paris’s Pantheon proved so popular that it has been replicated by museums ever since. To enjoy the experiment for yourself, simply fill the shallow tray with sand and slot the hanging arm into place; suspend the bob and watch ‘the Earth turn’ for yourself.

Click here to read the instructions.

Plastic, iron, steel and sand
Stands 38cm tall, 18 x 15cm base
Requires simple assembly – slot-together construction
Remove the protective plastic sleeve encasing the metal bob before use
36.5 x 20.5 x 3cm box
Not a toy