Carleton University

Laboratory Report

Course #​: PHYS 1007 Experiment #​: 5

Simple Pendulum Experiment

Date Performed:​ November 19​th​, 2019

Date Submitted:​ November 26​th​, 2019
Lab Period:​ L6
Partner:
Station #:​ 6
TA:
Purpose

The purpose of the lab is to verify the conservation of energy in relation to the pendulum as well as gain
an overall knowledge of the concept of the simple pendulum. This includes determining the connection
between the time the pendulum takes to make a complete cycle with the length of the string, the mass of
the bob and the amplitude of oscillation.

Theory

The simple pendulum a contraption that consists of a mass hanging from a string that is attached at a pivot
point. The nature of the system will cause the pendulum to swing when displaced at an angle. The forces
that are related to this experiment are gravity (ignoring air resistance) and tension in the string.
F g = mg
The equation for the force due to gravity where m represents the mass and g represents the gravity.
FT
Force due to the tension in the string.

One period of oscillation includes the displacement of x from the

equilibrium position (which is at 0°). In addition, the force of gravity
is a driving force in restoring the equilibrium.

θ0 = sin−1 ( Lx ) where θ0 represents the amplitude of oscillation.

where x represents the horizontal displacement.
where L represents the length of the pendulum.

The equation above demonstrates the relationship to the parameters

also listed above.

θ(t) = θ0 cos ( 2πt

T ) where θ(t) represents the angular displacement.
where θ0 represents the amplitude of oscillation.
where T represents the period of oscillation.

The equation listed above demonstrates the angular displacement

when oscillating at a small angle because the system demonstrates a
harmonic motion.

The following equation represents the period of the pendulum for oscillations that are less than 60°.
L
T ≈ 2π
√ g where L represents the length of the string.
where g represents the gravitational acceleration.
For oscillations that are observed to be greater than 60°, there is an infinite series which means that there
are numbers that are either going to increase or decrease. The amplitude of oscillation will have a very
small effect on the period and will decrease.

L 1
θ2 0 + 11 4
T = 2π
√ g (1 + 16 3072 θ 0 + ....)

h = L − √L2 − x2 where h represents the vertical displacement of the bob from its equilibrium position.
where L represents the length of the string.
where x represents the horizontal displacement.

The equation above demonstrates the vertical displacement of the bob from its equilibrium position in
relation to the length of the string and the horizontal displacement. In other words, the equation is used to
calculate the distance that the bob travels from the resting equilibrium.

The total mechanical energy of the pendulum bob is conserved which means there aren’t any external
forces acting on the pendulum system. Due to this, the following equation can be expressed.

ΔK + ΔU = 0
At a maximum height value, the potential energy of the system, U = mgh , is at a
maximum and the kinetic energy, K = 21 mv 2 , is at a minimum.
When the pendulum is in a vertical position, the potential energy is converted to
kinetic energy. This means that the kinetic energy is at a maximum and the
potential energy is at a minimum at the equilibrium position.

Apparatus

The instruments used for this experiment were:

● String
● Bobs (2)
○ Aluminum
○ Brass
● Photogate
● The laptop computer that provides the Logger Pro software from Vernier.
● Meter stick (±0.1 cm)
● Calliper (±0.01 cm)
● Balance (±0.001g)
Observations

Table 1: Quantitative observations of the mass and diameter and the qualitative observations of the colour
and material of the two metallic bobs used throughout this experiment.

Bob #1 Bob#2

Mass (±0.01g) 14.19g 47.81g

Diameter (±0.01mm) 19.06mm 19.05mm

Colour Light grey (without rust) Coppery yellow

Material Aluminum Brass

Table 2: Quantitative observations of the average period of oscillation, the uncertainty of the standard
deviation, N value and uncertainty of the mean.
Average Period from Acquisition File
T σ SD N σ mean

1.290 0.000348 6 0.001367

∴ (T ± σ mean ) units =1.290 ± 0.001

Table 3: Quantitative observations of the length value, the uncertainty of the meter stick, and the
extrapolated period.
Extrapolated Period from Analysis File
L L- σ L L+ σ L

40 40-0.1 40+0.1

T​e T​1​ at L- σ L T​2​ at L+ σ L

1.2868 1.2852 1.2884

∴ (T e ± σ T e ) units =1.2868 ± 0.0016

Calculations

A. Length effect on the period of oscillation.

Uncertainty on the average period value

σ SD
σ mean = √N
0.000348s
= √6
= 0.000142 s

The simple pendulum’s oscillation is related to the length of the string. As the length of the string
increases, the time period of the pendulum increases. The shorter the string is, the quicker the time
periods will be. Yes, the equation (5.3) is a good representation of this trend as it relates the length of the
string with the force of gravity.

B. Mass effect on the period of oscillation.

The interpolated value of the oscillation period with the measured one via t-test.

|T av −T e |
t=
√σ2 T av +σ2 T e
1.290−1.2868
t=
√(0.001)2 +(0.0016)2
t = 0.315s

∵t<2
∴consistent data.
 C. Amplitude effect on the period of oscillation.

T-test for parameter A (1) and the results from the series fit.

t= |x1 −x2 |
√σ2 x1 +σ2 x2
|1.011−1|
t=
√(0.01372)2 +(0)2
t = 0.802
1
T-test for parameter B ( 16 ) and the results from the series fit.

t= |x1 −x2 |
√σ2 x1 +σ2 x2
t= | |
1
0.05458− 16
√ (0.02556) 2
+(0)2

t = 0.310

11
T-test for parameter C ( 3072 ) and the results from the series fit.

t= |x1 −x2 |
√σ2 x1 +σ2 x2
t= | |
11
−0.007484− 3072
√(0.01032) +(0)
2 2

t = 1.07

∵ t < 2 (for all three coefficients)

∴consistent data.

Sample calculations of how Logger Pro determines the amplitude of oscillation in degrees.

θ0 = sin−1 ( Lx )
θ0 = sin−1 ( 39.4cm
40.0cm
)
θ0 = 80.1°
 D. Conservation of Energy

ΔK = 12 mv 2
ΔK = 12 (0.04781kg)(2.055m/s)2
ΔK = 0.101 J

ΔU = mgh
ΔU = (0.04781kg)(9.81m/s2 )(0.394m)
ΔU = 0.185 J

ΔK + ΔU =0
0.185 J − 0.101 J ≠ 0
0.084 ≠ 0
∴ energy is not conserved. *Note that the maximum energy in the form of U is the
minimum energy in the form of K.

Results

The uncertainty on the average period value yielded 0.000142s, the interpolated value of the
oscillation period with the measured one yielded a consistent value of 0.315s. The t-test for
parameters A,B, and C and the results from the series fit yielded 0.802, 0.310, and 1.07
respectfully. The sample calculations of how Logger Pro determines the amplitude of oscillation
in degrees was 80.1 ° . The ΔK was calculated to be 0.101 J and ΔU was calculated to be 0.185
J. The conservation was not conserved as 0.084 ≠ 0 .

Discussion

The purpose of the lab was achieved as the relationship between the period of oscillation
of a simple pendulum and the mass of the bob, the length, and the oscillation amplitude was
examined. The length of the string in this experiment was directly related to the period of
oscillation as the longer the string was, the longer the period was. This trend can be verified as
the curve fit increased in time in the y-axis as the length of the string in cm in the x-axis grew.
As seen in the calculations sections, the energy is not conserved as the addition of the potential
and kinetic energy do not sum to equal zero.
 Using a force sensor would benefit this experiment because the force sensor could
measure the force of the tension in the string and the air resistance force. Although mass does not
affect the period of oscillation, adults and children do experience different periods when
swinging on a swing. Reasons for this may include the fact that children generally have a smaller
diameter, therefore, the aerodynamics of the swing would be in favour of the child. A wider
diameter or frame causes more air resistance which would make it easier for the child to swing
faster thus experiencing a different period than a wider adult. In addition to air resistance, the
fact that adults have longer legs adds to the air resistance. In addition, although the mass doesn’t
affect the period, the fact that the weights would be different would have an effect. Weight is
defined as the pull that gravity has on an object and so if the weight of the adult is larger than the
weight of the child than the gravity acting on the system would cause the period to be shorter for
the adult.
An experiment that measures the energy dissipation over a period of time is often due to
friction or turbulence. With that in mind, an example of an experiment that demonstrates this
would be sliding an object across a flat surface. Due to the force of friction, the initial kinetic
energy on the object that caused it to move would soon dissipate. An experiment measuring
gravitational acceleration by using a simple pendulum could be dropping a mass from a vertical
distance and allowing the mass to fall. The velocity of the fall would be measured therefore
measuring the gravitational acceleration.
The three parameters calculated were all consistent therefor the data is significant. In
addition, if a fourth coefficient was calculated, it would be smaller in value than the previous
coefficients and due to the pattern of increasing t-tests with decreasing coefficients, the value
might yield insignificant data.
When the conservation of energy was verified, the results came that the energy was not
conserved. This result contradicts the information in the theory section, however, it is important
to note that although the theory behind conservation says it should be conserved, the experiment
was not performed in a perfect setting which contributes to an unavoidable error. Height has an
impact on the system’s energy. Height impacts the energy as the higher an object is, the greater
the gravitational potential energy is. As the potential energy transfers into kinetic energy, the
object will travel quicker with the direction of gravity. The energy in the pendulum dissipates
because the amplitude decreases as the bob oscillates.
A source of error in this experiment would be the force of friction that is present between
the bob and the air, air resistance. This error is unavoidable given the fact that the lab was not in
a vacuum. However, a way to minimize this effect on the system would be to change the shape
of the bob. A more spherical bob would yield better results because of aerodynamics. Another
error would be the fact that the string is not completely inelastic. The small addition of length
added with the mass attached to it would alter the period of oscillation by making the periods
longer. This has been discovered in the lab as the length of the string has effects on the period.