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Pendulum Expt

Experiment on Calculating Period of Pendulum

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43 views3 pages

Pendulum Expt

Experiment on Calculating Period of Pendulum

Uploaded by

mathsgco
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

Name: ______________________

Pendulum Experiment Worksheet


Objective
To measure the period of a simple pendulum. Plot a graph of T2 (the square of the period)
against L (the length of the pendulum). Use this to find g, the acceleration due to gravity.

Materials Needed
 String
 Weight (bob)
 Stopwatch
 Retort stand (or any kind of support)
 Graph paper or graphing software

Theory
The period T of a simple pendulum is given by the formula where

T =2 π
√ L
g

 T is the period,
 L is the length of the pendulum,
 g is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.81 m/s 2).

2 2 L
Squaring both sides, we get: T =4 π
g

Procedure
1. Set Up the Pendulum:
o Attach the weight to one end of the string.
o Securely fix the other end of the string to a support so that the weight can
swing freely.
2. Measure Length:
o Measure the length L of the pendulum from the point of suspension to the
center of the bob.
3. Time the Period:
o Pull the bob to one side and release it to start oscillating.
o Use the stopwatch to measure the time for 10 complete oscillations. Divide
this time by 10 to get the average period T.
4. Repeat for Different Lengths:
o Change the length of the pendulum and repeat steps 2 and 3 for at least 5
different lengths.

1
Data Collection Table
Trial Length L (m) Time for 10 Oscillations (s) Period T (s) T2

Analysis
1. Calculate T
o For each trial, divide the time for 10 oscillations by 10 to obtain T.
2. Calculate T2
o Square each period T to find T2.
3. Plot Graph:
o Plot a graph of T2 on the y-axis against L on the x-axis.
4. Determine Slope:
2
4π
o The gradient of the line should be equal to .
g
o Using this gradient, you can verify the value of g. Show all working out
below.

Conclusion
 Discuss whether your experimental results for g matches the theoretical relationship.

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