THE SIMPLE PENDULUM

Objective:

 To determine the effects or contribution of the length of the string on the period for the simple
pendulum

 Find out a mathematical relationship between the length and the period.

 To determine the value of the acceleration due to gravity g at AASTU, Addis Ababa

Hypothesis:

As the length of the string which the bob is hanged on is shortened, the magnitude of the period for the
simple pendulum increases.

Apparatus/Materials:

 A string used as a rigid rod

 Meter stick
 Pendulum bob of constant mass
 Table clamp
 A rod on which the mass is fixed
 Stopwatch

Introduction

Theory 1.1

A simple pendulum may be described ideally as a point mass suspended by a massless string from some
point about which it is allowed to swing back and forth in a place. A simple pendulum can be
approximated by a small metal sphere which has a small radius and a large mass when compared
relatively to the length and mass of the light string from which it is suspended. If a pendulum is set in
motion it swings back and forth, its motion will be periodic. The time that it takes to make one complete
oscillation is defined as the period T. Another useful quantity used to describe periodic motion is the
frequency of oscillation. The frequency f of the oscillations is the number of oscillations that occur per
unit time and is the inverse of the period, f = 1/T. Similarly, the period is the inverse of the frequency,
T = 1/f. The maximum distance that the mass is displaced from its equilibrium position is defined as
the amplitude of the oscillation.

When a simple pendulum is displaced from its equilibrium position, there will be a restoring force that
moves the pendulum back towards its equilibrium position. As the motion of the pendulum carries it
past the equilibrium position, the restoring force changes its direction so that it is still directed towards
the equilibrium position. If the restoring force F is opposite and directly proportional to the
displacement x from the equilibrium position, so that it satisfies the relationship:

F = - k x………equation (1)

then the motion of the pendulum will be simple harmonic motion and its period can be calculated using
the equation for the period of simple harmonic motion:

T = 2π√ (m/k)……….equation (2)

It can be shown that if the amplitude of the motion is kept small, Equation (2) will be satisfied and the
motion of a simple pendulum will be simple harmonic motion, and Equation (2) can be used:

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The restoring force for a simple pendulum is supplied by the vector sum of the gravitational force on the
mass. mg, and the tension in the string, TF. The magnitude of the restoring force depends on the
gravitational force and the displacement of the mass from the equilibrium position. Consider Figure 1
where a mass m is suspended by a string of length l and is displaced from its equilibrium position by an
angle θ and a distance x along the arc through which the mass moves. The gravitational force can be
resolved into two components, one along the radial direction, away from the point of suspension, and
one along the arc in the direction that the mass moves. The component of the gravitational force along
the arc provides the restoring force F and is given by:

F = - mg sinθ……..equation (3)

Where g is the acceleration of gravity, θ is the angle the pendulum is displaced, and the minus sign
indicates that the force is opposite to the displacement. For small amplitudes where θ is small, sinθ can
be approximated by θ measured in radians so that Equation (3) can be written as:

F = - mg θ…….equation (4)

The angle θ in radians is x/l, the arc length divided by the length of the pendulum or the radius of the
circle in which the mass moves. The restoring force is then given by:

F = - mg (x/l)……..equation (5)

and is directly proportional to the displacement x and is in the form of Equation (1) where k =mg/l.
Substituting this value of k into Equation (2), the period of a simple pendulum can be found by

T = 2π√ [m/ (mg/l)]……..equation (6)

And

T = 2π√ (l/g)……..equation (7)

Therefore, for small amplitudes the period of a simple pendulum depends only on its length and the
value of the acceleration due to gravity.

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Theory 1.2

A simple pendulum consists of a small bob mass m suspended by a light inextensible thread of length l
for some point about which it allows to swing back and forth.

The force acting on the bob are tension force exerted by the string and gravitational force mg. the
tangential component mgsinθ of gravitational force always acts toward θ=0, opposite to the
displacement of the bob from the rest position. Therefore, the tangential component is restoring force
and we can apply Newton’s second law of motion in the tangential direction.

The force that returns the bob to the equilibrium position:

F = mg sinθ……...restoring force

The bob accelerates equilibrium position when released:

F = ma………Newton’s second law of motion

From these laws;

ma = -mgsinθ

a = -gsinθ, but for the angle, sinθ = x/l

a = -g(x/l) ……. equation (a)

From simple harmonic motion:

a = -xω2……...equation (b)

Now from equation (a) and (b) we have;

-xω2 = -g(x/l)

ω2 = g/l, but ω2 = 2π/T

(2π/T)2 = g/l or (T/2π)2 = l/g

4π2/T2 = l/g

T2 = 4π2 (l/g)

√T2 = √ [4π2 (l/g)]

T = 2π√(l/g), period of simple pendulum, where frequency (f) = 1/T

f = (1/2π) √(g/l)

Therefore, the period and frequency of a simple pendulum depends only on the length of the string and
the acceleration due to gravity and independent from mass of bob.

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Experimental set up:

Set the simple pendulum in such a way that the length can be varied as shown below:

Procedure: (measuring the period of a simple pendulum of constant mass)

1) The simple pendulum was composed of a small spherical ball suspended by a long, light string
which was attached to a support stand by a string clamp. The string length l was varied from
trial to trial while the bob was constant in mass m. The string was clamped by the string clamp
between the two flat pieces of wood so that the string always pivots about the same point.
2) We measured the length l of the string using a meter stick.
3) Then we displaced the bob in a way that the string makes an angle between 0° and 10° with the
vertical line through equilibrium point for each length of the string using our eyes.
4) As soon as the bob started oscillating we started the stop watch and recorded the time it took to
complete 10 oscillations.
5) We repeated this step 2 times that we observed and recorded 3 trial times with the same bob
mass m and string length l.
6) We decreased the length of the string l by 10cm while keeping the mass m constant and did
three other trials.
7) We followed the above step and kept recording until we reach the last length required l that
was 0.4cm, which was 0.6cm shorter than the first trial’s length.

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Data analysis

The table below shows the value of the calculated data that includes the period of oscillation (the
time taken for one oscillation) which further gives us the acceleration due to gravity g

Length Average time for 10 Period T Period T2 Acceleration due to Percentage

in meter oscillation in seconds in seconds in seconds gravity g in m/sec2 error (%)
1.0 19.84 2.0 4.0 9.9 1
0.9 19.20 1.9 3.6 9.9 1
0.8 17.92 1.8 3.2 9.9 1
0.7 16.61 1.7 2.9 9.9 1
0.6 15.51 1.6 2.6 9.5 -3
0.5 14.25 1.4 2.0 9.9 1
0.4 12.79 1.3 1.7 9.5 -3

NOTE: We analyzed the collected raw data using the following basic expressions.

a) Average time = (trial1 trial2  trial3)/3

b) Period of oscillation (T) = Average time/10
c) Acceleration due to gravity (g) = 4π2l/T2
d) Percentage error = [(experimented value – accepted value)/accepted value] × 100%
e) Average acceleration due to gravity(gav)= (g1  g2  g3  g4  g5  g6  g7)/7

gav = (9.9 + 9.9 +9.9 + 9.9 + 9.5 + 9.9 + 9.5)/7.0

gav = 68.6/7.0

gav = 9.8 m/s2

 All number are rounded to the necessary significant figure.

 Signs for the percentage error shows the change of difference. Positive sign shows increasement
while negative sign shows reduction from the accepted value