DANELLE G.

ESPARTERO

Group: __________1__________ Date: ___July 5, 2021_____

Activity No. ___

PENDULUM CLOCK

I. OBJECTIVE:
The goals of this experiment are to: (1) study the motion of a simple pendulum, (2)
study simple harmonic motion, (3) learn the definitions of period, frequency, and
amplitude, (4) learn the relationships between the period, frequency, amplitude, and
length of a simple pendulum, and (5) use the theory, results, and analysis of this
experiment to determine the acceleration due to gravity.
II. MATERIALS:
100 cm string stopwatch
50 cm string marker
two small weights (bolts, nuts, etc.) protractor
III. PROCEDURE:
1. Tie a weight to the 50 cm string. Secure the other end so the weight can swing as
a pendulum unobstructed.
2. Allow the string to come to rest and mark this as its resting point.
3. Pull the bolt to the right until the string makes a 5⁰ angle from its resting point and
mark the position.
4. Let the bolt swing and time it through 10 complete cycles.
5. Divide the time by 10. This is the period of the motion.
6. Double the mass by adding a second weight. Now find its period. Did it change?
7. Return back to only one weight. Now change the angle from rest. Pull the weight
back farther (not beyond 10⁰ because of natural limits). Let go and find the period
now. Start with a lower angle and find its period. Did it change?
8. Go back to one weight and the first angle but change to the longer string (100
cm). Find the period now. Is it different?
IV. OBSERVATIONS:
Length (cm) Period (s) Period (s)
Single mass Double mass
50 at 5⁰ 0.579 0.609
 50 not beyond 0.602 0.601
10⁰

100 at 5⁰ 0.866 0.867

100 not beyond 0.882 0.867

10⁰

V. QUESTIONS:
1. Does doubling the weight affect the period of motion? Why?
When you add a weight to the right-hand bottom of the pendulum, it becomes heavier.
However, because weight has no effect on an object's gravitational pull, the two
pendulums swing at the same rate. However, by adding a weight to the middle of the
other pendulum, you effectively shorten it.
2. Is changing the angle from rest affect the period of motion? Why?
The period of a pendulum is determined solely by the length of the string, not by the
mass of the ball. The frequency and period of the pendulum are independent of the
initial angular displacement amplitude when small angles are assumed. Regardless of
the beginning angle, a pendulum will have the same period.
3. What effect does varying length of the pendulum to its period of motion? Explain.
The longer the length of string, the farther the pendulum falls, and thus the longer the
period, or back and forth swing of the pendulum; the larger the amplitude, or angle, the
farther the pendulum falls, and therefore the longer the period.
VI. GENERALIZATION:
A change in the mass of a pendulum will not affect the period. This is due to the fact
that the acceleration of gravity will remain the same for both, resulting in the same
period. Length: A change in the length of a pendulum will affect the period, because
the distance the mass will travel changes.