Scribd
Upload
51 views2 pages

1.1.2.1 Pendulum Practical Activity

Uploaded by

phantomlc69
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
51 views2 pages

1.1.2.1 Pendulum Practical Activity

Uploaded by

phantomlc69
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
You are on page 1/ 2

IGCSE PHYSICS

1.1.2.1 – Pendulum Practical Activity


PHYSICS

NAME: ___________________________
Today you will be investigating how the length of a
pendulum affects the time period (the time for one
complete oscillation) of the pendulum. You will be working
in groups of 3 or 4.
You should set-up a 1.500 m pendulum as demonstrated in
class. It should hang over the side of a bench, so that it
is free to swing through a small angle. The pendulum should
be a small mass (or pendulum bob) suspended from a
clampstand. It is useful to place a heavy mass (e.g. 1 kg)
on the base of the clampstand to ensure it is stable.
The lengths of pendulum that you will be testing are 1.500 m, 1.250 m, 1.000 m,
0.750 m and 0.500 m. One of you will displace the pendulum bob about 10 degrees
from vertical and release it. ALL of your team will then time how long it takes
for the pendulum to complete 20 whole swings and you can add your results to
the table below. Then change the length of the pendulum to the next shortest
(1.250 m) and do the same for all of the other lengths.
Length Time for 20 complete oscillations, 20T (s) Time period, T,
L (m) Person 1 Person 2 Person 3 Person 4 Average for 1 swing (s)
0.900 36.97 36.94 36.38 36.39 36.66 1.83
0.800 35.33 35.34 35.25 35.26 35.80 1.79
0.700 31.59 31.56 31.78 31.75 31.67 1.58
0.600 30.21 30.32 29.21 29.22 29.74 1.49
0.500 25.78 25.71 26.64 26.69 26.21 1.31
Please remember to follow these advice points when timing the pendulum:
• start and stop the time period from the position where it is moving the
fastest (in this case the centre of the oscillation);
• use a marker (fiducial point) to visually indicate the centre of the swing
(where you start/stop from);
• use the countdown method to avoid undercounting e.g. -3, -2, -1, 0 (start
the timer on 0), 1, 2, 3…and;
• ensuring you time one whole swing not half!
Questions
Analyze
1. What is the relationship between the pendulum’s amplitude and its period?
As the pendulum’s amplitude increases the period of each swing increases
2. What is the relationship between the pendulum’s bob mass and its period?
The bob mass wouldn’t affect the period
3. How are the period and length of a pendulum related?
4. As the pendulum’s length increases the period of each swing increases
5. Calculate g from your data in step 4.
T=2π√L/g
1.31=2π√0.5/g
0.2084929755=√0.5/g
0.04346932081g=0.5
g = 11.50236513
g ≈ 11.5
6. What is the percent error of your experimental g value? What are some
possible reasons for the difference between your experimental value of g
and the accepted value of g?
Human reaction could make the value quicker or slower
Conclude and apply
1. What variable(s) affects a pendulum’s period?
The length
2. Why is it better to run three or more trials to obtain the frequency and
period of each pendulum?
To get more accurate results
3. How is the motion of a pendulum like that of a wave?
It goes up and down back and forth
4. When does the pendulum bob have the greatest kinetic energy?
Lowest point
5. When does the pendulum bob have the greatest potential energy?
Highest point

You might also like