Both playground swings and large pendulum rides in amusement parks let your body experience the changing forces required for the motion along a circular arc for the pendulum motion. The forces can be illustrated with simple equipment, like a short slinky or a mug of water, and also measured with smartphones or other sensors taken along for the ride. The chapter shows how mathematics can be applied to the forces, as well as to the relations between pendulum length and period, which can all can be compared to observations and measurements. Authentic accelerometer and angular velocity data from playground swings and several different types of amusement rides are discussed, including rides where the Coriolis effect is significant.

Examples of pendulum rides and pendulum physics.

• Serious physics on a playground swing, Pendrill A-M 2023, The Physics Teacher 61, 355
• Comment on Pendulum: the partial and global approach, Pendrill A-M 2023, Physics Education 58 018001
• Mathematics, measurement and experience of rotations around 3 axes, Pendrill A-M 2018 European Journal of Physics 40 15003 (Manuscript copy)
• Pendulum rides, rotation and the Coriolis effect, Pendrill A-M and Modig C 2018 Physics Education 53 4 045017 (video abstract + Swedish video abstract)
• Rotating swings - a theme with variations, Pendrill A-M, 2016  Physics Education, 51 (1) 15014 (open access) with video abstract (Svensk översättning)
• Liquids in accelerated motion, Fägerlind C-O and Pendrill A-M, Physics Education Physics Education 50, 648-650 (2015) (Manuscript)
• The equivalence principle comes to school - falling objects and other middle school investigations, Pendrill A-M, Ekström P, Hansson L, Mars P, Ouattara L and Ryan U (2014) Physics Education, 49, 425 (open access) with video abstract
• Gunga med Galileo - matematik för hela kroppen (Swinging with Galileo - mathematics for the whole body), Pendrill A-M (2012) Nämnaren (2) p 40-44
• Acceleration and rotation in a pendulum ride, measured using an iPhone 4, Pendrill, A-M and Rohlén J (2011) Physics Education 46, 676-681 (Manuscript)