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Exp 01

The document describes an experiment to determine the radius of gyration of a compound pendulum. A thin rod with an adjustable bob is suspended from a knife-edge bearing, allowing the point of suspension to be adjusted. Students measure the time for 20 oscillations at different suspension heights and calculate the theoretical and experimental radius of gyration. Analysis of the results shows that increasing the suspension height increases the time period, while decreasing height reduces time period in accordance with the theoretical equations derived for a compound pendulum.

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Muhammad Hamza
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34 views

Exp 01

The document describes an experiment to determine the radius of gyration of a compound pendulum. A thin rod with an adjustable bob is suspended from a knife-edge bearing, allowing the point of suspension to be adjusted. Students measure the time for 20 oscillations at different suspension heights and calculate the theoretical and experimental radius of gyration. Analysis of the results shows that increasing the suspension height increases the time period, while decreasing height reduces time period in accordance with the theoretical equations derived for a compound pendulum.

Uploaded by

Muhammad Hamza
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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LAB 02 Compound Pendulum

Experiment 01

Objective
To determine the radius of gyration of compound pendulum

Apparatus
The apparatus shown in Figure 1, consists of a thin rod of length 1000 mm with adjustable
additional bob of mass 0.492 kg suspended from a knife-edge bearing. The point of suspension
of the rod can be adjusted at the knife-edge bearing.

Figure 2(a): Compound Pendulum

MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS LAB Page 1 (R2)


LAB 02 Compound Pendulum

Theoretical Background
Compound Pendulum
Any rigid body pivoted at a point other than its center of mass will oscillate about the pivot point
under its own gravitational force. Such a system is known as a compound pendulum as shown in
Fig. 2.
Let O be the point of suspension and G be the center of mass of the compound pendulum, as
shown in Fig. 2. Let the rigid body oscillate in the xy-plane so that the coordinate ‘θ’ can be used
to describe its motion. Let h denotes the distance between O and G and kG denotes the radius of
gyration about an axis through the center of gravity G and perpendicular to the plane of motion.

Fig. 2: Compound Pendulum

Radius of Gyration Radius of gyration of a body about an axis of rotation is defined as the radial
distance of a point from the axis of rotation at which, if the whole mass of the body is assumed
to be concentrated, its moment of inertia about the given axis would be the same as with its
actual distribution of mass. Let G be the center of gravity of a compound pendulum of mass m
that oscillates about a point O with OG = h if the pendulum is moved so that the line OG is
displaced through an angle θ.

The restoring couple is:

  mghsin  mgh ∵   0

MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS LAB Page 2 (R2)


LAB 02 Compound Pendulum

I   mgh ∵   I 
  mg h / I (1)

As parallel axis theorem is given as:

I  I  mh 2
I  mK 2  mh 2

From equation (1),

 gh

 K  h2
2
(2)

Time Period of a compound pendulum is:

K 2  h2
T  2
gh

T 2 gh
K   h2
4 2

Where ‘K’ is the radius of gyration

Experimental Procedure
1) Support the rod on knife edge. Measure the length of the pendulum and point out the
center of gravity of the rod.

2) Allow the bar to oscillate with small amplitude.

3) Note the time for 20 oscillations by a precision stop watch. Make this observation three
times and find mean time ‘t’ for 20 oscillations.

4) Measure the distance ‘h’ between the point of suspension and center of gravity of the
pendulum with the help of meter rod.

MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS LAB Page 3 (R2)


LAB 02 Compound Pendulum

5) Calculate the radius of gyration of the compound pendulum from the following relation.

6) Draw the graph with the distance ‘h’ as abscissa and time period as ordinate and calculate
the value of radius of gyration graphically.

Observations and Calculations


Time for 20 Oscillation,
t (s) Time for one
Sr. Oscillation
No. h (m) T (s) KG)th KG)exp
t 1 t 2 t3 t avg

1 0.45 31.85 32.16 31.9 31.97 1.598 0.288 0.285

2 0.4 30.8 30.91 30.87 30.88 1.544 0.277 0.285

3 0.35 30.75 30.78 30.74 30.75 1.537 0.288 0.285

4 0.3 30.5 30.40 30.45 30.45 1.522 0.287 0.285

5 0.25 29.87 29.60 29.72 29.73 1.486 0.273 0.285

6 0.20 31.63 31.44 31.54 31.53 1.576 0.288 0.285

7 0.15 33.72 33.72 33.71 33.71 1.685 0.288 0.285

8 0.1 39.74 39.62 39.53 39.53 1.976 0.294 0.285

9 0.05 53.32 53.47 53.40 53.39 2.669 0.293 0.285

MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS LAB Page 4 (R2)


LAB 02 Compound Pendulum

Graph:

Specimen Calculations

1)

Height = h = 0.35m

Time period = 1.537s

T 2 gh
K  2
 h2
4 2

1.537 2  9.81 0.35


K 
2
2
 (0.35) 2
4(3.14)
K  0.288

MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS LAB Page 5 (R2)


LAB 02 Compound Pendulum

2)

Height = h = 0.20m

Time period = 1.567s

T 2 gh
K  2
 h2
4 2

1.567 2  9.81 0.20


K 
2
2
 (0.20) 2
4(3.14)
K  0.288

Discussion:
Increasing height results in more time for doing oscillations as a result height factor effect the
time of oscillations. Reducing height result in faster movements and time for oscillation reduces.

MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS LAB Page 6 (R2)


LAB 02 Compound Pendulum

CLO-1
Measure different mechanical properties like moment of inertia, radius of gyration of
different systems.

MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS LAB Page 7 (R2)

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