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Pendulum Lab: Purpose

The document describes a lab experiment to use a pendulum to measure gravity. Students will time the oscillations of a pendulum with a known length hanging from a string and bob to calculate the period. Using the period and length in the equation for a simple pendulum, students can then calculate the acceleration due to gravity. The procedure instructs students to measure the pendulum length, time its oscillations over multiple trials, calculate the period, find the average period, and use this to determine gravity.

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35 views

Pendulum Lab: Purpose

The document describes a lab experiment to use a pendulum to measure gravity. Students will time the oscillations of a pendulum with a known length hanging from a string and bob to calculate the period. Using the period and length in the equation for a simple pendulum, students can then calculate the acceleration due to gravity. The procedure instructs students to measure the pendulum length, time its oscillations over multiple trials, calculate the period, find the average period, and use this to determine gravity.

Uploaded by

ftreviño_14
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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Pendulum Lab

Purpose:
In this lab, we will be using the formula for pendulum

to find gravity. Its easy to use this

formula because pendulum only depends on A) The length of the pendulum l, and B) gravity g. Thus,
with the length of the pendulum as our control we can find gravity.

Materials:

A bob
A mass of 200g
A string
A stopwatch
A ruler

Procedure:
1) Grab your string and attach it to your bob. Then, make a loop and hang your mass from here.
2) Measure the total length of your pendulum beginning from the top of your string to the middle
of the length of your mass. This will be your pendulum system.
3) Set your pendulum in motion by holding your mass at an angle less than 20. Time how long it
takes for 5 oscillations. Record your time.
4) Repeat step 3) 2 more times.
5) Collect your data in the following chart:

Trials

Length

Mass
m

Number of
Oscillations

Time
t

Period

1
2
3
6) From your data find your period for every trial. To do this, divide your time by the number of
oscillations.
7) Find the average of your periods with the following equation:

8) Plug your period, , and length, , in the equation for pendulum to find gravity.

9) Calculate your percent error. It should be less than 5% otherwise you did something wrong.

Personal Data Chart:


Trials
1
2
3

Length

.3 meters
.3 meters
.3 meters

Mass
m
200 g
200 g
200 g

Number of
Oscillations
5
5
5

Time
t
6.2s
6.1s
6.3s

Period
1.24s
1.22s
1.26s

*Didnt count the radius of the mass.

Trials
1
2
3

Length

.3 meters
.3 meters
.3 meters

Mass
m
200 g
200 g
200 g

Number of
Oscillations
5
5
5

Time
t
5.8s
5.3s
5s

Period
1.16s
1.06s
1.00s

*I was setting in motion my pendulum at an angle of 180 messing up its natural torque.

Trials
1
2
3

Length

.3 meters
.3 meters
.3 meters

Mass
m
200 g
200 g
200 g

Number of
Oscillations
5
5
5

*Human Error

Time
t
5.9s
4.9s
6s

Period
1.18
0.98
1.20

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