How do pendulums with different weights compare in terms of swing time?

Pendulums, regardless of the weight of the bob, will have the same swing time, or period, when measured for small angles of displacement. The swing time of a simple pendulum is primarily determined by the length of the string and the acceleration due to gravity, not the mass of the bob. This is articulated in the formula for the period, which states that the period is proportional to the square root of the length of the pendulum divided by the gravitational acceleration (T = 2π√(L/g)).

Thus, whether a pendulum has a heavier or lighter bob, as long as the length of the string remains the same, the time it takes to complete a swing back and forth will be the same. This principle holds true under ideal conditions, assuming there is no air resistance or other dissipative forces affecting the motion.