Why two clocks synchronize: Energy balance of the synchronized clocks

We consider the synchronization of two clocks which are accurate (show the same time) but have pendulums with different masses. We show that such clocks hanging on the same beam beside the complete (in-phase) and antiphase synchronizations perform the third type of synchronization in which the difference of the pendulums’ displacements is a periodic function of time. We identify this period to be a few times larger than the period of pendulums’ oscillations in the case when the beam is at rest. Our approximate analytical analysis allows to derive the synchronizations conditions, explains the observed types of synchronizations, and gives the approximate formula for both the pendulums’ amplitudes and the phase shift between them. We consider the energy balance in the system and show how the energy is transferred between pendulums via oscillating beam allowing pendulums’ synchronization.