(...) (Whereas the word embodies is not really the correct wording, but...)
... Let's take a look at a pendulum clock, than we can detect it right away. It's the pendulum itself and the swing of the pendulum is the measure for a period of time, a measure, that starts with a ītick` and ends with a ītock`. So it's a measure for the time, just like match-sticks are the measure for our length. And as the pendulum swings away nicely, and the swinging is a function of time, it is called the oscillation system of the clock. Every clock/watch is in need of such a oscillation system. But it cannot always be a pendulum, because portable clocks/watches with a pendulum don't function all that well. Therefore, a different oscillation system is needed. But what else swings, apart from a pendulum? Spring? Springs with weights, to be precise. They can make brilliant oscillation systems. We can pick up a bucket of water and move it to and fro by turning our arm. The arm will act as a spring that will tighten and relax and the bucket is the mass, that is being accelerated and slowed down. What describes bucket and water inside a clock/watch can be seen in the picture. The so called balance is the bucket and the so called balance spring is the arm. This system will swing in every position and on top of it all it is really pretty to look at. It is called the balance oscillation system. (...) |
