Algebra 2/Trig Hnrs Essay
Eric Zhu, P.1
Foucault Pendulum The Foucault Pendulum was a theory made up by Leon Foucault that explained how the Earth rotated on its axis. Even though many knew that the Earth rotated, not many people knew how and why it was rotating. Foucault made the first pendulum with a 28 kg lead bob with a 67 meter long wire. This led to prove that it would make a full circle is about 33 hours. This led to a theory that specifically proved how the earth actually rotated and why it rotated. Before, people used to think that the earth was totally flat and that the moon, sun, and stars revolved around the flat land. Copernicus was actually the one that mentioned that maybe the world was round and that it rotated. After his death, no one could really figure out why it was like that. Foucault comprised his demonstration that it was true and why it was true. He said that the way the pendulum sways, it shows how long it takes the earth to make a full 360 degrees.
Occam’s Razor The Occam’s Razor states: “Entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily”. The razor is an explanation and theory to guide scientists to the right answer. The Occam Razor is a combination of parsimony, economy, and succinctness. It values the common sense that we have. The statement states that when you juxtapose the hypotheses, you pick which one that makes the fewest assumptions. This is also called the principle of parsimony. It states that you do not need to make as many assumptions as long as you have the minimum amount. It helps