B.Sc.

SEM-I BAR PENDULUM

BAR PENDULUM
AIM: To determine the value of acceleration due to gravity and the moment of
inertia of the pendulum about the axis passing through the point of suspension
and perpendicular to the pendulum.

APPARATUS: Bar Pendulum, Scale, Stop watch, Telescope,

Wooden Wedge, Knife Edge etc.

FORMULA: Acceleration due to gravity,

THEORY:
A bar pendulum is the simplest form of compound pendulum. It is in the
form of a rectangular bar (with its length much larger than the breadth and the
thickness) with holes (for fixing the knife edges) drilled along its length at equal
separation.
If a bar pendulum of mass oscillates with a very small amplitude
about a horizontal axis passing through it, then its angular acceleration ⁄
is proportional to the angular displacement . The motion is simple harmonic
and the time period is given by,
√ … (i)
where denotes the moment of inertia of the pendulum about the horizontal axis
through its center of suspension and is the distance between the center of
suspension and Centre of Gravity(C.G.) of the pendulum.

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DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS, THE MAHARAJA SAYAJIRAO UNIVERSITY OF BARODA
B.Sc. SEM-I BAR PENDULUM

According to the theorem of parallel axes, if is the moment of inertia of the

pendulum about an axis through C.G., then the moment of inertia about a
parallel axis at a distance from C.G. is given by,

…(ii)
where k is the radius of gyration of the pendulum about the axis through C.G.
Using Equation (ii) in Equation (i), we get
√

√ … (iii)

⁄
√

√
where L is the length of the equivalent simple pendulum, given by
⁄ … (iv)
Therefore,
… (v)
The point at a distance from the centre of suspension along a line passing
through the centre of suspension and C.G. is known as the centre of oscillation.
Time period will have minimum value when (using Equation (iii)).
Hence PP’ = (refer to graph-I).
Simplifying Equation (iv), we get
… (vi)
Equation (vi) is a quadratic equation in having two roots. If and are the
two values of , then by the theory of quadratic equations
… (vii)
…(viii)
So we can write the solutions as
,
Since both the sum and the product of the two roots are positive, for any
particular value of , there is a second point on the same side of C.G. and at a
distance from it, about which the pendulum will have the same time
period.
If a graph is plotted with the time period as ordinate and the distance of
the point of suspension from C.G. as abscissa, it is expected to have the shape
shown in graph-I, with two curves which are symmetrical about the C.G. of the
bar.
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DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS, THE MAHARAJA SAYAJIRAO UNIVERSITY OF BARODA
B.Sc. SEM-I BAR PENDULUM

To find the length of a simple pendulum with the same period, a

horizontal line ABCDE can be drawn which cuts the graph at points A, B, D
and E, all of which read the same time period. For A as the center of
suspension, D is the center of oscillation (D is at distance of from
the centre of suspension A). Similarly, for B as the center of suspension, E is the
center of oscillation. The measurements can also be used to determine g using
Ferguson’s method as explained below.

Ferguson’s method for determination of :

Using Equations (v) and (vi) we get,

A graph between and should therefore be a straight line with slope , as

shown in graph-II. The intercept on the Y-axis is .
Acceleration due to gravity,

Radius of gyration,
√

PROCEDURE:
1. Determine the position of the centre of gravity by balancing it on the
knife edge. Mark its position.
2. Measure the distance of each hole from the centre of gravity.
3. Hang the bar through the hole at the maximum distance from the center
of gravity.
4. Focus the telescope on the bar. Try to focus as low as possible but
remember to focus it in such way that you can take readings comfortably.
5. Oscillate the bar and find the time for 30 oscillations. Repeat the process
and find the time for 30 oscillations again.
6. Hang the bar through the next hole and repeat the process described in
step 5.
7. Take readings by hanging the bar through each hole one after the other
till you finish taking reading for all the holes on one side of the centre of
gravity.
8. Reverse the pendulum and take the readings as described above.

PRECAUTIONS:
1. Keep the amplitude as small as possible.
2. When the oscillations are counted the cross wire should be used as
reference line.
3. The telescope should be focused at a point, which as very near to the end,
which is oscillating.
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DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS, THE MAHARAJA SAYAJIRAO UNIVERSITY OF BARODA
B.Sc. SEM-I BAR PENDULUM

4. Distance of each hole should be measured very carefully.

OBSERVATIONS:
1. Mass of the bar pendulum, ________ g
2. Least count of stopwatch = _______ s

OBSERVATION TABLE:
Time for 30 Periodic
Distance of the
Obs. Oscillation (s) Time
hole from C.G.
No. Mean (cm·s2) (cm2)
(cm)
(s)
1
2
3
…
14

CALCULATIONS AND GRAPHS:

Y

B D 𝑔
A C E 𝐿
𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒
𝜋
𝑃 𝑃
(0,0)
𝐿𝑇

X
𝐿
𝐿
Graph-I Graph-II
= = cm
AC+CD = BC+CE = cm
where = mass of bar pendulum

RESULTS:
1. Acceleration due to gravity = ______________ cm/sec2
2. Moment of inertia of a pendulum = __________ g·cm2

*********

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DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS, THE MAHARAJA SAYAJIRAO UNIVERSITY OF BARODA