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Simple pendulum - Lab report

College Phy Lab I (University of Miami)

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Simple Pendulum

Purpose: The purpose of this lab is to find acceleration due to gravity using a simple pendulum.

Theory: Acceleration due to gravity is the acceleration gained by an object due to gravitational

force. For example, when an object falls towards the ground from a height, the object’s velocity

changes. This change in velocity produces acceleration in the object. This is denoted by the letter

“g”. The value of acceleration due to gravity is g = 9.8m/s2. This concept of acceleration due to

gravity is explained further in the lab using a simple pendulum. A simple pendulum uses a bob

and a string. It is suspended from a fixed support. The vertical distance between the point of

suspension and the center of the bob is called the effective length of the simple pendulum. This is

given as the letter “l”. The figure below shows a drawing of a simple pendulum.

ob
-y J
1 0 .s 'Ll La.. i t·o K . :::: TL n::1=c pe r lo d. .

Figure 1.1: Simple pendulum

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The figure 1.1 above labels the effective length, l, the point of suspension and the time period in

a simple pendulum. The time period, t, of a simple pendulum is time it takes for one full

oscillation. An oscillation is a to and fro movement of the pendulum. There are two laws of a

simple pendulum studied in this lab. The first one is the law of length. This law states that the

time period of the simple pendulum is directly proportional to the square root of its effective

length. This means that as the string gets longer, the pendulum takes more time to complete one

oscillation. The second law states that the period of the pendulum is inversely proportional to

square root of acceleration due to gravity. This means that higher the gravity in that place, lesser

time it takes to complete one oscillation. The equations of both the laws of the simple pendulum

are written below:

••
-\

••
f
II
I

r
1~
I

Figure 1.2

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Figure 1.3 below shows the actual formula and the truncated formula of the simple pendulum.

I A c .., u. a. L Ear h-t. ut.,_JL~et~ :~ .:____ _ __ _ _ __ _ _

-,.__
-
_.
2 •

T Ga., t: Cd f Qt:J:J:t, u, ~4 :

T=

-- '2..
•

Figure1.3: Actual and truncated formula of the simple pendulum.

The truncated formula depends on the length, l, of the string and the value of gravitational force,

g. The time period, T, is measured in seconds. This formula can be used if the angle of the

oscillation is small. If we use a small angle, the value of sin2(θm/2) would be negligible and

would result in 1. Therefore with the assumption of a small angle, we can use the truncated

formula.

Apparatus:

• Stop watch

• Meter scale

• Bob

• String

• A piece of cardboard and tape

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Data Table:

~2 -
2
C~u )

0 I

'o 2-f>-3:5c.1----.---6-
-1- --, \l . D
l· 3 l·\I •

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Graph:

I I I

-
()I
b
Q)
\

~r,
...
~r,

\~ ~r,

F 5 ~,
~,
i'
~,,
,,.
...
--.
~'
-, j =:
'f' I 5lope =-
~x
...
..,
jr
~,,
.Jf

,., . _ .3·65 - 1· 2 0
OlO · OO -30 ,00
,,, "
...... ., .::. 0 -o 4-063

/
i, "
~/
1 I/

i/ l
i
l.l !I
I/ I
-al I.Ji 20 40 rn rn 11~0 PO 1.1 0
I./ Lr(cm

Graph 1.1: The graph above plots T2 (sec2) versus length of the string (cm).

The slope in the graph above is calculated by the change in y divided by the change in x. The

slope of the graph is 0.004083 cm/sec2.

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Calculations:

- - -----"'"'-Lo_p e O f /\ y - 3-.:xG5 - 1 · 2 0 . - C~ Q_j_Q_f,_3_

.-- -- - - - -~ - X-- - -~4~0~~-30_:_D~~~+cn~

_ _ __.__....__0_1:r1,, ± b.,_~ _ c a t c: ,LJ_o_i-_ o:i_y,J._a_,_ _ __

_ _ _.5j_()_p \ - 4JI 2

e. 0·0+0~3

. - 66-e
2.

- t to r = ex p - l dea L X \0 OJ-

--

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Results and error:

The experimental value for g is 966.8973cm/s2 from the above calculations with 1.44% error

compared to the ideal value.

Discussion:

Errors in the experiment could have resulted due to many sources. A human error could be made

while measuring the time period using a stopwatch. The reaction time to observe the oscillations

while starting and stopping the stopwatch could play as an error. A possible solution to improve

the accuracy for this error could be to take more than one trial. The angle used to start the

oscillation could also result in an error. A very small angle should be used. Another example of

an error could be parallax error while measuring the length of the string with the measuring tape.

Furthermore, the friction between the air and the bob movement can be a source of error. A

possible solution to this would be avoiding light weighted bob and using a heavier one.

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