National University of Sciences and

Technology
(NUST)

STUDY OF COMPOUND
PENDULLUM
LAB REPORT #4

1. Shah Saud SCME

2. M. Arqam Karim Batch ME12
3. M. Adil Group B1
4. M. Hasham Hussain
5. M. Arslan Shakoor
 I. Objectives

1. To determine the acceleration due to gravity (g) by means of a compound pendulum.

2. To determine radius of gyration (k) about an axis through the center of gravity for the
compound pendulum, and calculating the moment of Inertia (I) through that.

II. Equipment

1. A bar pendulum;
2. a knife–edge with a platform;
3. a retort stand;
4. nut bolts to suspend the pendulum
5. a precision stop watch;
6. a meter rod.

III. Theory
Definitions
Compound pendulum:

• It is a rigid body which has a extended mass and is capable of oscillating about a
horizontal axis.
Moment of Inertia:

• It is the quantitative expression of the rotational inertia of a body, it is the product of

mass of a body and the perpendicular distance to an axis (radius) squared.

• is the rotational analog of mass of a body; the angular acceleration and torque of a
rotating body depend on moment of inertia. Mathematically:

𝑰 = 𝒎𝒓𝟐
Centre of Gravity:

• It is the point from which all the weight of the body is evenly distributed.

Radius of Gyration:

• it is defined as the perpendicular distance of any point on a system to its centre of

gravity.
Centre of suspension:

• It is the point from where the body is hanged.

Time period:

• The time required for a compound pendulum to

complete one oscillation from one extreme
position to another is defined as its time period

Torque:

• It is a measure of the force that can cause an

object to rotate about an axis. It’s a vector
quantity.

Mathematical derivations:
Torque is defined as
𝜏 =𝑟×𝐹
𝜏 = 𝑙 sin 𝜃 𝑀𝑔
For very small angle:
∴ sin 𝜃 = 𝜃
Hence,
𝜏 = 𝑙𝜃𝑀𝑔
Moment of inertia is defined as:
𝐼 = 𝑚𝑟 2
For a uniform mass, moment of inertia is:
𝐼𝑔 = 𝑀𝑘 2

𝐼𝑠 = 𝑀𝑙 2
As,
𝐼 = 𝐼𝑔 + 𝐼𝑠

= 𝑀𝑘 2 + 𝑀𝑙 2

𝐼 = 𝑀(𝑘 2 + 𝑙 2 )
Angular acceleration of the body is given by:
𝜏
𝛼=
𝐼
−𝑙𝜃𝑀𝑔
𝛼=
𝑀(𝑘 2 + 𝑙 2 )
−𝑙𝜃𝑔
𝛼=
(𝑘 2 + 𝑙 2 )

• The negative sign indicates that the angular acceleration is always directed towards
mean position.
We know,

𝛼 = −𝜔2 𝜃
−𝑙𝜃𝑔
= −𝜔2 𝜃
(𝑘 2 + 𝑙 2 )

𝑔𝑙
𝜔=√ 2
𝑘 + 𝑙2

As:
2𝜋
𝜔=
𝑇

𝑘 2 + 𝑙2
𝑇 = 2𝜋√
𝑔𝑙

𝑘2
√ +𝑙
𝑇 = 2𝜋 𝑙
𝑔

𝑘2
𝐿= +𝑙
𝑙
𝑙 2 + 𝑘 2 − 𝐿𝑙 = 0
Roots are 𝑙1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑙2

• The roots give us 𝒍𝟏 . 𝒍𝟐 = 𝒌𝟐 and 𝒍𝟏 + 𝒍𝟐 = 𝑳.

 IV. Data Analysis

Experiment: Determining the value of g (acceleration due to gravity) by a compound,

pendulum (bar with holes) and calculate its radius of gyration and moment of inertia.

Procedure:
1. First, we balanced the pendulum on the wedge, with knife-edges at the extreme holes on
both sides, and marked the position of its centre of gravity at G;
2. Level the support and suspend the pendulum on it. Draw a vertical line with a chalk
along the holes of the pendulum or paste a thin white strip of paper but not covering its
holes;
3. Then we displaced the pendulum slightly (not more than 5°);
4. After displacing the pendulum, we noted the time for 15 oscillations, 𝑇15 ;
5. We repeated 𝑇15 twice and take average to reduce error;
6. Shifted the knife-edge to 2nd hole, moving nearer to the centre of gravity, G, and
calculated 𝑇15 twice for every hole moving closer to G;
7. Simultaneously measure the distance from the particular hole the time period is being
measured by, to the centre of gravity;
8. Now turn towards the other side of the compound pendulum and repeat the same
measurements from the left side
9. Then a graph is to be drawn: Take T along y-axis drawn in the middle of the graph
paper and distance from G along x-axis on a large and suitable score and plot a graph
getting two smooth and mean curves on both sides of G;
10. Draw a horizontal line ABCDE parallel to the x-axis but not near the bends of the curve.
𝑘2
The length of the equivalent simple pendulum, L = 𝑙 + = AD or BE, i.e AC = 𝑙 and
𝑙
𝑘2 𝑘2
CD = , D being the centre of oscillation. Similarly, CE = 𝑙 and BC = , D being the
𝑙 𝑙
𝐿
centre of oscillation. Calculate ‘g’ using the relation 𝑔 = 4𝜋 2 𝑇 where T is the value of
time period at C.
Observations and Calculations:

For the holes above G For the holes below G

Times for 15 Time Times for 15 Time

Vibrations (sec) Period Distance Vibrations (sec) Period Distance
Hole Hole
(sec) from G (sec) from G
No. Mean, No. Mean,
1 2 𝐓 (m) 1 2 𝐓 (m)
T15 𝐓 = 𝟏𝟓 T15 𝐓 = 𝟏𝟓

1 24.30 23.94 24.12 1.61 0.47 1 24.77 24.60 24.68 1.64 0.49

2 23.86 23.81 23.83 1.58 0.42 2 23.97 23.85 23.91 1.59 0.44

3 23.54 23.77 23.65 1.57 0.37 3 23.61 23.44 23.52 1.56 0.39

4 23.23 23.30 23.26 1.55 0.32 4 23.17 22.94 23.05 1.53 0.34

5 22.61 23.06 22.83 1.52 0.25 5 23.11 22.69 22.90 1.52 0.29

6 23.68 23.44 23.56 1.57 0.22 6 22.93 23.41 23.17 1.54 0.24

7 24.66 25.00 24.83 1.66 0.16 7 23.60 24.60 24.10 1.60 0.19

8 27.80 27.64 27.72 1.84 0.12 8 26.62 26.08 26.35 1.75 0.14

9 36.15 36.22 36.18 2.41 0.05 9 31.51 31.73 31.36 2.09 0.09

Note: - A graph was to be sketched out of the values in the table, the procedure of analysing
the values from the graph is given bellow.
2.45
2.15
2.25
2.05
1.95 2.05
1.85
1.75 1.85
1.65
1.65
1.55
1.45 1.45
1.35
1.25 1.25
-0.5 -0.4 -0.3 -0.2 -0.1 0 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5

This is just a depiction of the graph that has been manually sketched on the graph sheet attached. (y-axis
represent time period (sec), x-axis represent distance from centre of gravity (meters))
Procedure for graphical analysis
1. Take T along y-axis drawn in the middle of the graph paper and distance form G
along x-axis on a large and suitable scale and plot a graph getting two smooth and
mean curves on both sides 'of G.
2. Draw a line ABCDE parallel to the x-axis but not near the bends of the curve. The
𝑘2
length of the equivalent simple pendulum, 𝐿 = 𝑙 + = 𝐴𝐷 = 𝐵𝐸. i.e. 𝐴𝐶 = 𝑙 and
𝑙
𝑘2 𝐾2
𝐶𝐷 = , D being the centre of oscillation. Similarly, 𝐶𝐸 = 𝑙 and 𝐵𝐶 = , B being the
𝑙 𝑙
𝐿
centre of oscillation. Calculate ‘g’ using the relation 𝑔 = 4𝜋 2 where T is the value
𝑇2
of the Time Period at C.
3. The mass is weighed and from the above readings, we calculate
𝑘 2 = 𝐴𝐶. 𝐶𝐷 = 𝐵𝐶. 𝐶𝐸
Finding k while taking mean for accuracy we get
√𝐴𝐶. 𝐶𝐷 + √𝐵𝐶. 𝐶𝐸
𝑘=
2
4. Find out the moment of inertia using the relation
𝐼 = 𝑀𝑘 2

Data Analysis via graph values

Firstly, finding the value of ‘g’
From the graph attached we know that,
𝐴𝐷 + 𝐵𝐸
𝐿=
2
𝐴 = 0.48 𝑚
𝐵 = 0.19 𝑚
𝐶 = 0 𝑚 (𝑇 = 1.62 𝑠)
𝐷 = 0.19 𝑚
𝐸 = 0.45 𝑚
𝐴𝐷 = 0.48 + 0.19 = 0.67 𝑚
𝐵𝐸 = 0.19 + 0.45 = 0.64 𝑚
Hence,
(0.48 + 0.19) + (0.45 + 0.19)
𝐿=
2
𝐿 = 0.655 𝑚
Calculating the value of g:
0.655
𝑔 = 4𝜋 2
(1.62)2

𝑔 = 9.85 𝑚/𝑠 2
Now, finding the value of moment of Inertia:

We know that the radius of gyration k, can be calculated using the graph by:

√𝐴𝐶. 𝐶𝐷 + √𝐵𝐶. 𝐶𝐸
𝑘=
2

We can plug values from the graph,

𝐴𝐶 = 0.48 𝑚
𝐶𝐷 = 0.19 𝑚
𝐵𝐶 = 0.19 𝑚
𝐶𝐸 = 0.45 𝑚

√0.48 × 0.19 + √0.19 × 0.45

𝑘=
2

𝑘 = 0.297 𝑚

Moment of Inertia can now be calculated:

𝐼 = 𝑀𝑘 2
𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 = 𝑀 = 1.1 𝑘𝑔

𝐼 = (1)(0.297)2

𝐼 = 0.097 𝑘𝑔. 𝑚2

V. Results

The value of g (acceleration due to gravity) using a compound pendulum

has been calculated to be:
𝑔 = 9.853 𝑚/𝑠 2

The percentage error is:

Acceleration due to gravity expected value: 9.81 m/s2

𝐸𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 − 𝐶𝑎𝑙𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑
% Error = | | × 100
𝐸𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑
 9.853 − 9.81
% Error = | | × 100
9.81
% Error = 0.43 %

The value of Moment of Inertia is calculated to be:

𝐼 = 0.097 𝑘𝑔. 𝑚2

Possible reasons for the error:

1. Axial spin of the compound pendulum rod due to air current from the ceiling fan.
2. Human reaction time error while recording the time period using the stopwatch
3. Rotational motion of the pendulum
4. Varying of the displacement angle
5. Original experiment uses telescope for calculating more accurate time periods

How the readings could be improved:

1. Ensure that the pendulum oscillates in a vertical plane and that there is no rotational
motion of the pendulum.
2. The amplitude of oscillation should remain within 5° of arc.
3. Use a precision stop-watch and note the time accurately as far as possible.
4. Make sure that there is no air current in the vicinity of the pendulum.
5. Take another horizontal line, and calculate the readings from the graph from the
points A’,,B’,C’,D’,E’ repeat all the calculations and take average.

VI. Conclusion

• We used this experiment to calculate a value of g from the pendulum and the value is
close to the true value of g. The little difference account for human error.
• The graph was used to calculate the radius of gyration.
• We used all the data we accumulated to calculate the moment of inertia about the point
of oscillation.