PHY-213

Experiment 2. The Simple Pendulum

Name______________________ Lab Partner_________________ Section_________

Start Date_____________ Finish Date___________ Instructor’s Initials___

Link
https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/pendulum-lab/latest/pendulum-lab_en.html

Objective:
(i) To investigate the motion and properties of a simple pendulum,
(ii) To verify the relationship among the variables,
(iii) To find the value of acceleration due to gravity (g)

Description of Apparatus:
A heavy object (concentrated mass) either in the form of a ball or a piece of cylinder
suspended by a massless string from a rigid support constitutes a simple pendulum. There
should be a provision to change the object, increase the length, measure the angular
amplitude of the swing and a stopwatch.

Theory:

The simple pendulum consists of a small, concentrated mass, or ball, suspended by a string
of negligible mass as shown in figure1 (a).
The physical parameters involved in the motion of a simple pendulum are

(1) The length (L), measured from the point of suspension to the center of the pendulum
ball.

(a)
(b)
Figure 1
(2) The mass (m) of the pendulum ball.

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 (3) The angular displacement (θ) through which the pendulum swings, also called the
amplitude, which is the maximum displacement position A or C in figure 1(b) from
the equilibrium position (B).

From the figure 1, it may be noticed that a force component 𝑚𝑔 sin 𝑠𝑖𝑛 θ brings the mass
back towards its equilibrium position when it is displaced and then released. Due to its
kinetic energy, the mass overshoots the equilibrium position and the force 𝑚𝑔 sin 𝑠𝑖𝑛 θ
acts to bring it back to equilibrium position. For small angular displacement, sin 𝑠𝑖𝑛 θ ≅θ.
Therefore, we have
𝐹 = − 𝑚𝑔 θ
This gives rise to a harmonic motion. A phenomenon, which repeats itself in a regular
fashion is said to be periodic. If the pendulum ball is displaced to one side and released,
periodic motion results. The period (T) of the pendulum is the time it takes for the
pendulum to swing through one complete oscillation or cycle of its motion [e.g. from point
A - the point of release - to C and back to A in figure l(b)]. In other words, T is the period
of pendulum (time for one complete back and forth swing) in seconds. If the pendulum ball
is allowed to swing through a small arc or angular displacement, θ (less than l0o) then the
theoretical expression for the period T of the pendulum is
𝐿
𝑇 = 2π 𝑔
(1)

where g is acceleration due to gravity and has an accepted value of g = 980cm/s2 or 9.8m/s2
and the length (L), measured from the point of suspension to the center of the pendulum
ball in centimeters or meters.

The equation (1) is derived from the fact that for small angular displacements, the restoring
force on the pendulum ball is proportional to the negative displacement. Since this is the
condition for simple harmonic motion, the pendulum will oscillate accordingly. For larger
displacements, the equation, which describes the motion is much more complicated and no
longer has such a simple result. The motion, then, is no longer harmonic.
Note: Be very careful to use only small angular displacements (similar to those suggested in this
Lab).

It must be noted that in the small-angle expression for period T neither the angular
displacement θ nor the mass m of the ball appears. Time-period is theoretically independent
of mass m of the ball and angular displacement θ. Time-period, however, depends on length
L and g in the following way

1. T is directly proportional to √L so if L increases, the T will also increase.

2. T is inversely proportional to √g so if g increases, the T will decrease.

The equation (1) is rewritten as
g = 4π2 L/T2 (2)
The value of g is experimentally obtained by measuring length L of the pendulum and
measuring its time period.

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Procedure:

(1) Open the simulation using the link given in the beginning of the experiment
(2) Click on Lab twice. It opens a page as shown below

(3) You can vary the length of the pendulum between 10cm to 100cm. You can vary the
mass of the pendulum between 0.1kg to 1.5kg.
(4) By moving the mass of the pendulum with the cursor, you can set the angle for the
swing. Remember that the angle of swing should be kept always less than 100. This
means that for every length, it needs to be checked.
(5) Keep the value of gravity as 9.81m/s2.

Data:
Fixed mass m and variable length L

1. Take the mass as 0.25kg. Enter it just above Table 1.

2. Start with a length of 1m and then change it by 10cm to complete the table given
below. These are entered in column 1 of Table 1. You can measure the length using
the Ruler by clicking on it.
3. Swing the pendulum and measure the time it takes to make 20 swings with a
stopwatch. Enter this time in column 2. A good way to make this measurement is to
slide the stopwatch to coincide with the extreme position of the pendulum. When
the mass just touches the boundary of the stopwatch, click to count.
4. Find the time-period by dividing this time by 20. Enter this in column 3.
5. To check if you have made a correct measurement, use the period timer. You can
click on this at any position of the pendulum, and it will give the time for one
period. Enter this in column 4.
6. Calculate the value of g using the formula [equation (2)] and enter this in column 5.

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 Fixed mass m and variable length L
m = 0.25 kg
Table 1
1 2 3 4 5
Length L (cm) T20 (s) T=T20/20 (s) Period Timer g = 4π2 L/T2
(cm/s2)
100 cm 44 s 2.2 s 2.36 s 814.6 cm/s^2
90 cm 42 s 2.1 s 2.2 s 804.6 cm/s^2
80 cm 40 s 2s 2.1 s 788.6 cm/s^2
70 cm 38 s 1.9 1.98 s 764.57 cm/s^2
60 cm 36 s 1.8 1.8 s 730.18 cm/s^2

Data:
Fixed length L and variable mass m

1. Keep the length of the pendulum fixed say 90cm or 0.9m. Enter this just above
Table 2.
2. Start with mass of 0.1kg and increase it by 0.2kg to cover the whole range. Enter the
values of mass in column 1 of Table 2.
3. Swing the pendulum and measure the time for 20 oscillations and then calculate the
time-period as described earlier. These values will be entered in column 2 and 3
respectively.
4. Use period timer each time to confirm your measurement. It should be entered in
column 4.
5. Calculate the value of g using equation (2) and enter it in column 5.

Fixed length L and variable mass m

L= 0.9 m
Table 2
1 2 3 4 5
Mass m (kg) T20 (s) T=T20/20 (s) Period Timer g = 4π2 L/T2 (cm/s2)
0.1 kg 44 s 2.2 s 2.24 s 733.2 cm/s^2
0.3 kg 44 s 2.2 s 2.24 s 733.2 cm/s^2
0.5 kg 44 s 2.2 s 2.24 s 733.2 cm/s^2
0.7 kg 44 s 2.2 s 2.24 s 733.2 cm/s^2
0.9 kg 44 s 2.2 s 2.24 s 733.2 cm/s^2
1.1 kg 44 s 2.2 s 2.24 s 733.2 cm/s^2

Additional work:
You may also like to study the variation of time-period of the pendulum with angular swing

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θ. For this part of the experiment, follow the following steps
1. Fix the length and mass of the pendulum. Take them as 0.25kg and 0.9m. Enter
these just above Table 3.
2. Start with low angular swing, say 50, 100, 150 and then increase with an interval of
100. Enter these in column 1.
3. For each swing value, measure time T20 for twenty oscillations and enter it in
column 2.
4. Calculate time-period T and confirm it with period timer. Enter it in column 3.
Enter the time-period obtained by period timer in column 4.
5. Plot the time-period vs. swing θ and comment on this.

L= m m= kg
Table 3
1 2 3 4
Angle (θ) T20 (s) T=T20/20 (s) Period Timer

Questions:
1. How do the velocity and acceleration vary during the time-period of a simple
harmonic pendulum?

The velocity and acceleration both come to 0 everytime the pendulum meets it's max height
then starts up again when the pendulum swings again.

2. What are the parameters on which the time-period T of a simple pendulum does not
depend?

When the length of the pendulum is constant

3. If the length of the pendulum is increased four times, the time-period will

increase by two times

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 4. If the experiment is conducted at a place where the value of g is half that on earth,
its time-period will

no change

(5) Calculate the time-period of a simple pendulum of one-meter length. Take g = 980
cm/s2.

49.8 s

(6) Calculate the time-period of a simple pendulum of 200.0cm length. Take g = 9.8m/s2.

67.59 s