What is Foucault's Pendulum installed in India's new parliament? Here's everything you need to know

On May 28 (Sunday), India's new triangular-shaped parliament was inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who unveiled several new features and installations in the building compared to the old one.

The new parliament building has many notable additions,one of which is the historical "Sengol," a sceptre positioned next to the chair of the Lok Sabha Speaker in the chamber.

Another intriguing feature that most of us noticed is the installation of "Foucault's Pendulum" in the gallery section of the Constitution Hall.

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But what exactly does the pendulum do and what's the history behind it? Here's everything you need to know.

The Story behind Foucault's Pendulum: History and Science

The charge of installing the pendulum was taken by the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM).

Leon Foucault was the person who carried out the first experiment on Foucault's Pendulum in 1851, with the aim to demonstrate the Earth's rotation.

One of the largest of its kind in India, the pendulum stands at a height of 22 metres and weighs about 36 kg. It possesses all characteristics ofother pendulums.

Leon's experiment entailed suspending the heavy objects at a height using a string, enabling unrestricted swinging in all directions.

Once set in motion, the pendulum gradually altered in its alignment over time, if it is swinging in a north-south direction, it will gradually shift towards the east-west direction.

In conclusion, the experiment stated that the pendulum doesn't change its plane of motion, instead the ground beneath it does. This means, when aligned along the Earth's axis at the north and south poles, the pendulum returned precisely to its original position in 24 hours.

Making and Installation of Foucault's Pendulum

The pendulum was created in a matter of 10 to 12 months and is completely made in India by Project Incharge Tapas Moharana.

The pendulum has been completely crafted from gunmetal and has been equipped with an electromagnetic coil to ensure smooth and uninterrupted movement.

Moharana said, "The suspension system is mounted on the ceiling, and there is a continuous power supply to eliminate any hindrances to the pendulum's motion. The first such pendulum was installed in Pune, and we made certain modifications for this installation."

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