Huygens Pendulum

David Atkinson
atkinson@phys.rug.nl
The period of a simple pendulum of length ` is
s

T = 2

`
,
g

in the limit of small amplitudes; but for larger amplitudes the period is a
function of the amplitude, an undesirable feature. Huygens ingenious idea,
which he put into practice, was to vary the effective length of the pendulum
by allowing its cord to wrap partially around an obstruction as it swings.
What should the shape of this obstruction be, in order to ensure that the
period is strictly independent of the amplitude?
Consider the parametric equations
x = ( sin )
y = (cos 1) ,
which describe the locus of a point on the circumference of a circle of radius
x

Figure 1: Huygens Cycloid and Pendulum

that rolls under a straight line. This is a cycloid, part of which is shown in
Fig. 1 as a curved line, the part depicted corresponding to 0 .
1

A pendulum of length `, consisting of a flexible cord and a heavy bob,

swings from a fulcrum at the origin, partly wrapping around the cycloid.
At a given time, t, suppose that the coordinates of the point at which the
pendulum cord just leaves the cycloid are (x, y), these coordinates being
related by the above parametric equations. Then the length of cord that is
so wrapped is
=

Z x

x0 =0
Z

(dx0 )2 + (dy 0 )2

d0

(1 cos 0 )2 + sin2 0 = 2 2

0
3

d0

1 cos 0

= 2 2

1 + cos 0

i
0

= 4 1

1 + cos
.
2

The total length of the pendulum is `, the part that is still straight at time
t has length ` , and so the coordinates of the bob are (X, Y ), with
X = x + (` ) cos

Y = y + (` ) sin ,

where tan is the slope of the cycloid at (x, y), and hence of the straight
part of the pendulum. Clearly
tan =

sin
dy
=
,
dx
1 cos

from which it follows that

s

1 + cos
sin =
2

cos =

1 cos
.
2

These results lead to

X = (` 4) cos + ( + sin )
Y = (` 4) sin (3 + cos ) .
If we choose = 14 `, the equations simplify to
Y = (3 + cos ) .

X = ( + sin )

The time derivatives of these coordinates are

X = (1 + cos )

Y = sin ,
2

and so the speed of the bob is

q

X 2 + Y 2
q
q

= (1 + cos )2 + sin2 = 2(1 + cos ) .

v =

The potential energy of the bob is mgY , and conservation of energy gives
2
1
2 mv

+ mgY = constant

and this is equivalent to

2 2 (1 + cos ) g (3 + cos ) = constant ,
which can be rewritten in the form
2 (1 + cos ) = g (cos cos 0 ) ,
where 0 is a constant whose interpretation will be shortly elucidated. This
can be integrated:
t=

d
=

s
Z
1 + cos
d
.
g
cos cos 0

Clearly cannot be greater than 0 , for t would then be complex, so we

identify 0 as the extreme angular excursion of the Huygens pendulum. An
integration over the domain 0 0 corresponds therefore to one quarter
of a complete period, T , of the pendulum. Hence
s
Z 0
1 + cos
d
.
T =4
g 0
cos cos 0
s

With the substitutions

=

cos cos 0
1 cos 0

and = 41 `, we obtain
s

s
` Z1
1
`
d q
= 2
.
T =2
g 0
g
(1 )

We conclude that the period of the Huygens pendulum is indeed independent

of 0 , i.e. independent of the amplitude of the oscillation. Moreover, it
agrees with the period of a simple pendulum of length `, in the limit of small
amplitudes, as should be the case.
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