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Practical 3 Correction

This document outlines a practical experiment to measure the acceleration due to gravity (g) using a pendulum. It details the necessary equipment, the calculations for determining g based on pendulum oscillations, and the methods for assessing uncertainties in measurements. The document also discusses systematic errors and provides a conclusion with the calculated value of g and its uncertainty.

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9 views

Practical 3 Correction

This document outlines a practical experiment to measure the acceleration due to gravity (g) using a pendulum. It details the necessary equipment, the calculations for determining g based on pendulum oscillations, and the methods for assessing uncertainties in measurements. The document also discusses systematic errors and provides a conclusion with the calculated value of g and its uncertainty.

Uploaded by

kwpcj8wncj
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Measure Theory, EENG1

Practical 3: Measuring gravity


Grading
Objectives:
Determine experimentally g by timing the oscillations of a pendulum.
Calculate U(g) and check that the “real” g value lies in the experimental interval of confidence.
Discuss about other sources of uncertainties than U(L) & U(T).

Equipment & materials


A stand and its clamp, a piece of string, a ruler, a stopwatch.

1. Calculating g
The gravity of Earth g (in m/s2) is known with great accuracy. Since 1901, it was decided to consider its value
at any latitude L and height above sea level h (in m) as:

Calculate g expected in room J018 (L = 45.76° and h = 235 m). Express g with a consistent number of SF.
SF
g=9.806 269 m/s2.

2. Getting g with a pendulum


A simple pendulum consists of a particle of mass m (called a “bob”)
suspended from one end of a non stretchable, massless string of length L
that is fixed at the other end to a pivot (the clamp of a stand, here). The
mass is free to swing back and forth in a vertical plane (figure on the side).

The period of the pendulum is defined as the time necessary for the bob to
swing back and forth once. When drag and friction are neglected and if the
amplitude of the pendulum is small,, the period is given by:

Based on this equation, express g as a function of T and L, suggesting that a very simple experiment may be
carried out to find g!
Use the rules for combining uncertainties (CM, §6) to get U(g) as a function of g, L, T, U(L) and U(T).

, 2
3. Getting L and U(L) then T and U(T)
Calculate the uncertainty of U(L) at 95% due to the ruler (resolution = 1 mm, double measurement situation).
0.577 U(L) =√0.577 + 0.577 = 0.816
√
a(single meas) =0.5 mm U(single meas) =

Give another source of random uncertainty on L (more difficult to estimate): operator

Conclusion: in order to minimize U(g), L must be: long, short or it doesn’t matter? ( ) ∝ ∆ ⁄ , L must be long
Do these random uncertainties vary when L varies? No

Same questions for T: what are the sources of random uncertainties and do they vary when T varies?
The stopwatch, the operator, they do not vary when T varies.
Conclusion: in order to minimize U(g), T must be: long, short or it doesn’t matter?
( ) ∝ ∆ ⁄ , T must be long

Is T longer when L is longer? Yes


Think about a way to get a more precise T, at constant L: measure more than one period (for example 10
periods) then divide the measured time (by 10 if 10 periods)

Give the endpoints that you must consider to avoid systematic errors on L: From the bottom of the clamp to the
center of the bob

Explain briefly the timing method that you must consider to avoid systematic errors on T:
Do not start the stopwatch when dropping the bob (+ start & stop at amplitude to reduce random)
Since overall U(L) and U(T) are difficult to estimate with one single measurement (type B), you will use six
measurements for each variable (two per students) and perform a statistical analysis to get them (type A).
To get L & U(L), measure L six times before carrying out the experiment. To get T & U(T), measure T six times
when the bob is oscillating. In the table, express the lengths L in m and the periods T in s. Take t95% = 2.

L1 =0.548 L2 =0.547 L3 =0.546 L4 =0.545 L5 =0.545 L6 =0.546 L=0.5462 sL =0.012 m U(L)=9.55E-4m


m
T1 =1.503 T2 =1.493 T3 =1.503 T4 =1.493 T5 =1.500 T6 =1.513 T =1.501s sT =0.007s U(T) =6.12E-3s
4. Conclusions
Give g & U(g) and check that the “real” g value calculated in §1 lies in the experimental interval of confidence:

− *)
% 01
$ = ∑&+%( ( ) = ,-.%
&'% √2

− *)
% 03
$ = ∑&+%( ( ) = ,-.%
&'% √2

( ) 2 ( ) 9.55 ∗ 10'9 2 ∗ 6.12 ∗ 10'


( )= 4 5 +4 5 = 9.5708 7 : +7 : = 8.37 ∗ 10' /$
0.5062 1.501

g =9.571 ± 0,009 m/s2

List possible sources of systematic errors due to the model:


Amplitude, drag, temperature, friction, rotation of earth, buoyancy in air, wire mass
In particular, consider the correction due to the amplitude: T(θ) = T0(1+θ2/16). What is the θ value that would
give a systematic error of 1% on T? Give the value in °.

= 71 + 16: −
(θ) − = (1 + 16 − 1) = θ
θ
= θ
= 1% = = =
∆ =

= = = 16

0.4 ∗ 360
θ = 16 ∗ 0.01 = 0.16 ==> θ = 0.4 @ABCAD = = 22.9°
2

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