A swinging pendulum has its maximum acceleration at

A swinging pendulum exhibits Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM) for small angular displacements. In SHM, the restoring force and the resulting acceleration are directly proportional to the displacement from the equilibrium position but act in the opposite direction. At the equilibrium position (the bottom of the swing), the displacement is zero, meaning the restoring force and acceleration are also zero, while velocity is at its maximum. Conversely, at the two extremities of the swing, the displacement reaches its maximum value, known as the amplitude. Consequently, the restoring force and acceleration are at their maximum at these points, while the velocity momentarily becomes zero as the bob changes direction. Therefore, the maximum acceleration of a pendulum occurs at the two extremities of its path where the displacement from the mean position is greatest.