3. Additional Note on the Motion of a Heavy Body along the Circumference of a Circle

Abstract

In the course of physical inquiries we meet with many problems having the appearance of great simplicity, and yet presenting to the analyst difficulties of the highest order. The law of the motion of a heavy body along the circumference of a circle is one of these.

One particular case of this motion, viz., the case of the swinging of a clock-pendulum, is of paramount importance, and has been investigated with very great care. In this case our attention is directed principally to the computation of the time of an entire oscillation, since it is this which determines the beating of the clock.