# Metronome Sync **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 29, 2008, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metronome-sync/447344 "2008-04-29T13:27:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metronome-sync/447344/1 "2008-04-29T13:27:24Z")
Has anyone seen this? > **[Dropout - Independent, ad-free, uncensored comedy](https://signup.dropout.tv/)** > > Independent, ad-free, uncensored comedy. Watch new episodes of Dimension 20, Um, Actually, Game Changer every week. Basically it goes like this. A guy starts up five metronomes and they are not in sync. He then places them on top of a board across two cans. Eventually they all sync up. ```auto M M M M M --------- O O ``` do the cans allow the platform to sway in such a way that they naturally sync up? Am I being wooshed? ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metronome-sync/447344/2 "2008-04-29T13:43:55Z")
Didn’t he say the answer was obvious? Magic! It looks like the supporting board begins to sway – if so, then it has to get energy from somewhere – the pendulums of the metronomes. Perhaps some lose more energy/momentum than others given the timing/position of their swing until things equalize. Just a thought for the science- or math- minded to shoot down or explain. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metronome-sync/447344/3 "2008-04-29T13:45:45Z")
Yep, that’s exactly what’s happening. There is sufficient coupling through the platform to allow the metronomes to sync up. Pendulum clocks mounted to a wall will do the same thing. How tight the coupling is determines how quickly it happens. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metronome-sync/447344/4 "2008-04-29T14:17:00Z")
It’s a well known effect. Goes back to at least [Huygens](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christiaan_Huygens). Read [Sync: How Order Emerges from Chaos in the Universe, Nature, and Daily Life by Steven H. Strogatz](http://www.amazon.com/Sync-Order-Emerges-Universe-Nature/dp/0786887214/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209478443&sr=1-1). ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metronome-sync/447344/5 "2008-04-29T14:25:59Z")
I remember reading (here I think) about an experiment with clocks fixed to a wall - apparently there is even enough energy transfer through such a seemingly rigid backing to permit them to sync. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metronome-sync/447344/6 "2008-04-29T16:28:19Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] I remember reading (here I think) about an experiment with clocks fixed to a wall - apparently there is even enough energy transfer through such a seemingly rigid backing to permit them to sync. [/QUOTE] You don’t say? 😛