KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND

TECHNOLOGY

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS

FACULTY OF PHYSICAL AND COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCES

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE SIMPLE PENDULUM

QUANSAH KOFI GIDEON

4662418

BSC. PHYSICS

18TH DECEMBER, 2018.

Abstract………………………………………………………………………………..…… 2

Introduction………………………………………………………………………...…….. 3

Diagram of Setup…………………………………………………………………………. 4

Method/Procedure ……………………………………………………………….…….. 5

Observation tables………………………………………………………………………… 6

Graphs of observation table……………………………………………………………… 7 – 12

Theory and Calculations …………………………………………………….………...… 13 – 16

Results And Discussion……………………………………………………………..…… 17

Error Analysis………………………………………………………………………….. 18

Precautions………………………………………………………………………………. 19

Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………….. 20

References ………………………………………………………………………………… 21

1
 ABSTRACT

This experiment was used to determine the acceleration of free fall due to gravity using the data
collected during the simple harmonic motion. The experiment was conducted in two parts. For the
first part of the experiment, the variables considered are the length of pendulum L, angle of initial
dislocation, θ (amplitude) and the period of oscillation T. A graph of period T against square root of
the length of the pendulum was plotted and the resulting gradient was 2sm. The gradient was used
to calculate for g and the value was 9.869 ± 0.06 m/s2 , which is equivalent to the actual value of
g,9.80665 m/s 2 . And from the second part of the experiment, five graphs of period T against the
square of amplitude θ2 was plotted. The slope of these graphs was used to calculate for g and the
resulting values are 52.46, 28.50, 58.17, 40.80 and 57.09. The mean of the slope values found was
47.404 𝑚/s 2 . There was a vast difference between the values of g from each part of the
experiment. The accuracy present in the first part of the experiment was inadequate in the second
part and might be due to error in the experimental setup.

2
 INTRODUCTION

There are many complex physical phenomena which can be explored using very simple measuring
instruments. Among these instruments is the simple pendulum. The simple pendulum is used to
investigate repetitive physical phenomena/motions such as the Harmonic motions.

In physics, Simple Harmonic Motion is a repetitive to and fro movements through an equilibrium,
so that the maximum displacement on one side of this position is equal to the maximum
displacement on the other side. The time interval or period T of each oscillation or vibration is the
same and the force responsible for the motion is always directed towards the equilibrium position
and is directly proportional to the distance from it.

Data recorded from the Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM) can be used to determine g, acceleration
of free fall due to gravity.

In this particular experiment, we are investigating the effects of two physical variables on the period
of oscillation of a pendulum. These variables are the pendulums length and its angle of initial
dislocation or amplitude.

3
 DIAGRAM OF SETUP

The diagram below illustrates setup of a simple pendulum.

Retort
Stand

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

4
 METHOD / PROCEDURE

Apparatus needed includes

Part One (Length Dependence)

For small deflections, (θ ≤ 100 ) the oscillation period T is determined as a function of the
inextensible thread length L, 30 < L < 100cm for five different lengths. Record your data.

Part Two (Amplitude Dependence)

For each of the lengths L above (L1, L2, L3, L4, L5) determine the oscillation period as a function of
the deflections for 100 ≤ θ ≤ 900 . Record your data for each L

1. A graph of oscillation period T as a function of the square root of the length is plotted using
data in the first part. Determine the value of g.

2. For each length L, a graph of period T as a function of the square of deflection amplitude θ2
is plotted and the values of g found for each.

3. The mean of the values of g determined in 2 is found.

4. The mean g is compared to the value of g from the first part.

5. A brief comment is given on the two values of g.

5
 OBSERVATION TABLE

Table of results for the time taken for 10 oscillations and length

Part One (length dependence)

L /cm t /s t
√L /cm T = ( ) /s √L /m
10
±0.1 ±0.10 ±0.01 ±0.01
±0.10

45.0 6.71 12.25 1.23 0.67

60.0 7.75 15.25 1.53 0.78

75.0 8.06 16.79 1.68 0.87

85.0 9.22 17.56 1.76 0.92

95.0 9.75 18.25 1.83 0.98

Part Two (Amplitude Dependence)

Amplitude Fixed L1 Fixed L2 Fixed L3 Fixed L4 Fixed L5

θ0 θ2 t1 /s T /s t2 /s T /s t3 /s T /s t4 /s T /s t5 /s T /s

10 100 12.65 1.27 14.69 1.47 16.34 1.63 18.03 1.80 18.41 1.84

20 400 13.34 1.33 15.34 1.53 17.oo 1.70 18.12 1.81 18.75 1.88

40 1600 13.50 1.35 15.65 1.57 17.43 1.74 18.28 1.83 19.53 1.95

60 3600 13.84 1.38 16.34 1.63 17.87 1.79 19.00 1.90 19.65 1.97

80 6400 14.54 1.45 16.69 1.67 18.72 1.83 19.94 1.99 20.25 2.03

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 GRAPHS OF OBSERVATION TABLE
Graph 1: A graph of Period (T) against Square Root of Lenght (L)
2

1.8

1.6

1.4

1.2
PERIOD T /s

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2
SQUARE ROOT OF LENGTH /m

7
 Graph 2: A graph of Period (T) against Square of Amplitude
1.46

1.44

1.42

1.4

1.38
PERIOD T /s

1.36

1.34

1.32

1.3

1.28

1.26
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000
AMPLITUDE
8
 Graph 3: A graph of Period (T) against Square of Amplitude
1.7

1.65

1.6
PERIOD T /s

1.55

1.5

1.45
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000

AMPLITUDE
9
 Graph 4: A graph of period T against Square of amplitude
1.9

1.85

1.8
PERIOD T /s

1.75

1.7

1.65

1.6
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000
AMPLITUDE
10
 Graph 5: A graph of Period (T) against Square of Amplitude
2

1.95

1.9
PERIOD T /s

1.85

1.8

1.75
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000
AMPLITUDE
11
 Graph 6: A graph of Period (T) against square of Amplitude
2.05

1.95
PERIOD T /s

1.9

1.85

1.8
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000
AMPLITUDE
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 THEORY AND CALCULATIONS

The experiment is being basically executed in two parts; The Length Dependence and The
Amplitude Dependence

Length Dependence (Small Angle Oscillations)

For small amplitude oscillations, that is when the angle Θ is small, the period T, of the pendulum
is nearly independent of the amplitude, but for large amplitudes, there is a measurable change in
the period.
From the diagram above,
y
Sin Θ =( L) ---(1) .
𝑔𝑦
Acceleration a=(− )------2.
𝐿
The differential equation describing the oscillation of a pendulum of length L is
ⅆ2𝜃 𝑔
+ 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 0
ⅆ𝑡 2 𝐿
This is a non-linear motion, so for small angle oscillation amplitude, sinθ ≈ 0

ⅆ2θ g
( 2 ) + ( θ) = 0
ⅆṫ L

ⅆ2 θ gy
( ) = a = (− )
ⅆt2 L
But a is also = −ω2 y
So therefore;
gy
(− L ) = (−ω2 y)----3.

g
ω2 = -----4.
L
2π
The oscillation frequency or angular frequency ω = 2πf = ---------5.
T
2π 2 g
( ) =( )
T L
4𝜋2 𝑔
( 2 )=𝐿
𝑇

4⋅π2
T2 = ( L)
g

𝐿
𝑇 = 2𝜋√ ---------------6.
𝑔

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 This expression does not depend on the amplitude of oscillation. Hence at any point on the earth’s
surface where g is constant, the period T depends only on the length of the string L, and not on
the mass of the pendulum bob.

Amplitude Dependence (Large Angle Oscillation)

1
The total Energy of a pendulum of length L and mass m is given by ET = 2 mL2 θ2 + mgy ----7.
ⅆθ
Where θ is the rate at which angle is changing. i. e. and vertical displacement of the mass, y
ⅆt
at any θ from the equilibrium is L (1-cosθ).
ⅆθ
At the end of a swing, the pendulum is not moving, so = 0 and θ− = θmAx.
ⅆt
The total energy is then purely potential and is given as ET = mgL(1 − cosθ) − − − −8.
At equilibrium, y=0 and the total energy is purely kinetic and is given as
1
ET = 2 (mL2 θ2 ) − − − −9.
Equation 8 and 9 are equal in principle
1
(mL2 θ2 ) = mgL(1 − cosθ)
2

ⅆθ 2g
=√ L (cosθ − cosθmAx )-----------------10.
ⅆt
Finally, the expression for period as a function of amplitude is given as;

L θ2 max
T = 2π √g (1 + + ⋯ ) − − − − − 11.
16

1. From the graph plotted for the first part of the experiment

𝐿
𝑇 = 2𝜋√
𝑔

2π
T= √L
√g
2π
When a graph of T as a function of √L is plotted, the intercept is zero and gradient m =
√g
Now gradient from the graph
ΔT /s
M =( )
Δ√L /𝑚

1.60−1.20
M=( )
0.82−0.62

M = 2 s/m

14
 2π
Now from m = ( )
√g

2π 2
g=( )
m
4π2
g= ( ) ⇒ g = π2
4

g = 9.869604401 m/s2

∴ g = 9.869 m/s 2

2. From the graph plotted for the second part of the experiment.

ⅆθ 2g
. =√ (cosθ − cosθmAx ),
ⅆt L

From this expression, the inverse of the gradient of each graph

1 2g
= √ L (cosθ − cosθmAx ),
m

L
g=
2m2 (𝑐𝑜𝑠θ−𝑐𝑜𝑠θmax)

The gradients from all the five graphs are 0.02434782609,0.036363,0.0306,0.036687 and 0.035578
respectively.
(0.45)
Now for fixed L1, g1 =
2(0.02435)2 (cos 20−cos 77.5)

g1 = 52.46 m/s2
(0.60)
Now for fixed L2, g2 =
2(0.0364)2 (cos 31.5−cos 86.6)

g2 = 28.50 m/s 2
(0.75)
Now for fixed L3, g3 =
2(0.0306)2 (cos 31.6−cos 80.6)

g3 = 58.17 m/s 2
(0.85)
Now for fixed L4, g4 =
2(0.036687)2 (cos 26.46−cos 83.7)

g4 = 40.80 m/s 2

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 (0.95)
Now for fixed L5, g5 =
2(0.035578)2 (cos 27.46−cos 76.7)

g5 = 57.09 m/s 2

Now the mean of g1, g2, g3, g4, and g5

52.46+28.50+58.17+40.80+57.09
g = ( )
5

g = 47.404 m/s 2

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 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

In part one, the pendulum, was hanged on a retort stand and deflected in an angle (𝜃 ≤ 10 ). The
oscillation period T is determined as a function of the cord or thread with varied lengths. The value
for g was calculated to be 9.869 ± 0.06 m/s2 . It was calculated from the slope of the graph of
Period T versus the square root of the varied lengths.

In the second part of the experiment, the setup wasn’t changed but the procedure did. This time the
length was kept constant and the period of oscillation and the deflections were recorded. A graph of
period T as a function of the square of deflection amplitudeθ2 was plotted and the value of
acceleration of free fall due to gravity is the mean of all the five values of g calculated from the
slope of these graphs. The value was calculated as g = 47.404 m/s 2. . All the graphs associated
with this experiment are all straight-line graphs, with the exception of the graph from the part of the
experiment, all the graphs do not start from the origin. The intercepts for the best fit straight line
intersect close to the origin.

The percentage difference between the two values of g from the two parts of the experiment is very
huge. One possible explanation for the discrepancy may be that the time measurements were not
precise and accurate during the second part due to a systematic error in timing.

17
 ERROR ANALYSIS
Error incurred for g was thus calculated as follows;

𝐿
𝑇 = 2𝜋√ … (1)
𝑔
L
T 2 = 4π2 ……………(2)
g

Introducing ln (natural log) on both sides

In T 2 = In 4π2 +In L – In g

In g = - In T 2 + In 4π2 +In L

Differentiating both sides gives

therefore, error for g, is δg = ± 0.06

18
 PRECAUTIONS

1. Error due to parallax was avoided by taking measured readings at level to obtain accurate
results.

2. The time was recorded were an average of twice stop clock reading to increase accuracy.

19
 CONCLUSION

Besides calculating for the value of acceleration of free fall due to gravity using two different

methods, the linear relationship between period T, length and deflection of amplitude was verified.

It was also observed that the amplitude of oscillation affected the period of oscillation. The greater

the amplitude, the greater the period of oscillation and vice versa

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 REFERENCES;

1. Giancoli, D.C. (2009). Physics for Scientist and engineers. Pearson education Inc pp 114 –
117

2. Hudh D.Y. and Freedman A.R. (2004) Sears and Zemansky’s University of Physics with
Modern Physics (11th ed). U.S.A: Pearson Education, Inc. publishing. pp 183 – 189

3. Reginald, M. N., David W. S., Smith and Van-Dyke, S. A (2018) Laboratory manual in
Experimental Physics I, Department of Physics K. N. U. S. T, pp. 45 – 47.

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