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Lab 9
Lab 9
Date: 26/03/12
Title: Pendulum
Diagram:
Simple harmonic motion can be defined as the motion that occurs if the acceleration of a
body is directly proportional to its distance from a fixed point and is always directed
towards that point. The period of an oscillation, T, is the time taken for one complete
oscillation.
This experiment represents a simple pendulum undergoing simple harmonic motion. The
equation for the period of a simple pendulum is:
𝑙
𝑇 = 2𝜋√
𝑔
This equation shows that T is directly proportional to l, the length of the pendulum. In
this experiment 𝑙 is dependent upon the number of paperclips, n.
𝑇 = 𝑝𝑛𝑞
Where,
Method:
Variables:
Results:
Table 1 showing values for the number of paper clips, time for 20 oscillations, period, log
T and log n.
Treatment of results:
𝑦2−𝑦1
Gradient = 𝑥2−𝑥1
0.12−(−0.11)
=
1.38−0.86
= 0.44
𝑇 = 𝑝𝑛𝑞
lg 𝑇 = lg 𝑝𝑛𝑞
𝑦 = 𝑚𝑥 + 𝑐
Gradient = q
Therefore q = 0.44
To find y-intercept we can sub in the values and a point on the line (1.38, 0.12)
0.12 = 0.44(1.38) + lg p
lg p = -0.487
p = 0.33
𝛿𝑡 = 0.005 s
Precautions:
1. Displacement of paper clip must be less than 10o in order to ensure that motion is
simple harmonic.
2. Windows were closed to reduce interference by environmental factors.
Sources of error:
1. The timing did not always begin immediately as motion of oscillation becomes
smooth and reproducible.
2. The oscillation of the paper clips were not always in one dimension, therefore the
period was not exact.