Experimental Lab No.

07
Object:
To determine the value of g using compound pendulum.

Apparatus:
 Bar pendulum
 Knife edge
 Meter rod
 Wooden wedge
 Stand
 Stop watch

Working Formula:
4 π2L
G= where,
T2
g is the acceleration due to gravity
L is the length of an equivalent simple pendulum
T is the time period of oscillations

Procedure:
1. Determine the least count of stop watch.
2. Determine the center of gravity of the bar pendulum by placing it horizontally on the wooden
wedge.
3. Mark one end of the bar as “A” and the other as “B”.
4. Measure the distance “d” between the holes and centers of gravity at the end “A”.
5. Fix the knife-edge into the 1st hole of the bar, at the end A and place it on the stand.
6. Note down the time “t” for 10 oscillations for the bar, three times.
7. Find the mean time and determine the corresponding time period “T”.
8. Repeat steps 4 to 7 for each hole at the end “A”.
9. Repeat steps 4 to 7 for each hole at the end “B”.

Precautions and Sources of Errors:

 Errors due to buoyancy and drag caused by air.
 Stand must be rigid
 Amplitude of vibrations must be small.
Observation:
Least count of the stop watch is : 0.01sec

End A End B
T=tm/1
d T (sec) d T (sec) T=tm/10
tm 0 tm
cm 10 Vibrations cm 10 Vibrations (sec)
(sec)
45.3 16.12 16.09 16.0 16.07 1.60 16.1
44.7 15.9 15.95
7 16.0 1.6
40.3 15.54 15.55 15.63 15.57 1.55 15.6 15.3 15.4
39.7 15.44
5 6 8 1.54
35.3 15.33 15.42 15.26 15.30 1.533 15.2
34.3 15 15.29
5 15.2 1.52
30.3 15.10 14.83 15.18 15.02 1.50 15.2 15.2
29.7 15.12
1 3 15.1 1.51
25.3 7.54 7.68 7.81 7.67 1.55 24.7 24.7 7.51 7.54 7.51 1.50
20.5 7.43 7.75 7.88 7.68 1.53 19.7 7.82 7.83 7.75 7.8 1.56
15.3 8.40 8.04 8.24 8.22 1.6 14.7 8.36 8.33 8.24 8.31 1.66
10.5 9.43 9.36 9.24 9.3 1.86 9.6 9.49 9.76 9.40 9.55 1.91
5.4 12.9 12.14 12.44 2.48 1.522 12.8 12.8 12.8 12.8
12.87
7 6 9 6 2.57

Calculations:
1. Plot a graph between distance d or the holes from the center of gravity (x-axis) and time period
T (y-axis).
2. Draw a horizontal line that cuts the graph at 4 different points.
3. The y intercept gives the time period T.
4. From the graph find the equivalent length of the simple pendulum.

L1 + L 2
L=
2

L=L1+L2/2
L=60+60/2
L=60cm
5. Place the values obtained in the working formula and find the acceleration due to gravity.

G=4*(3.14)260/(8.2)2
G=731.27cm/sec2
Results:
The acceleration due to gravity is found to be 731.27 cm/sec2.