A pendulum is held at the top of its swing. The person holding the pendulum lets go, and the pendulum is allowed to swing freely. Answer the following questions about the pendulum. a. When the pendulum is held at the top of its swing, what type of energy does it have?

1 answer

When the pendulum is held at the top of its swing, it has gravitational potential energy. This is because the pendulum is elevated above its lowest point, and the gravitational force is acting on it. The potential energy is at its maximum at this position, while the kinetic energy is zero since the pendulum is momentarily at rest before being released.