CENTRE OF FOUNDATION STUDIES

FOUNDATION PHYSICS I
LABORATORY REPORT

Simple Harmonic Motion

Experiment

Name NUR QURRATU’SYAZA BINTI ADNAN

Student ID 2021800422
Lab Instructor’s Name PUAN SITI IRMA YUANA
Date of Experiment 20.09.2021
Member 1 1) MUHAMMAD AKMAL HAZIQ BIN MOHD
RAMLI
2021860808
Member 2 2) NURELYYANA BINTI SABAN
2021200136
Member 3 3) ALISA ZULAIKHA BINTI MOHD AZLAN
2021817774

Marks

Comment
PRE-LAB QUESTIONS

1. Define simple harmonic motion

Simple harmonic motion is a type of periodic motion where the restoring force of the moving
object is directly proportional to the magnitude of the object’s displacement and in opposite
direction of that displacement.

2. Define period of oscillation.

Period of oscillation is the time taken for one complete oscillation.

3. Write down the equations for period of motion in pendulum and simple harmonic motion.

𝑙
Period of motion in pendulum : T = 2π 𝑔
𝑚
Period of motion in simple harmonic motion : T = 2π 𝑘

4. State the conditions required for a simple pendulum to exhibit simple harmonic motion.

The net force is directly proportional to the displacement from the equilibrium point which
obeys the Hooke’s law and the net force is always in the opposite direction to the displacement
from the equilibrium point. The angle need to be small which is less than 15º so that the net
force is directly proportional to the displacement

5. How to measure the period of oscillation and length of the thread?

To measure the period of oscillation, use a stopwatch to measure the time taken for 10
complete oscillations. Measure the time taken for 10 complete oscillations three times. Then,
add the three measurements and divide by 3 to find the average period of oscillation. The
length of thread is measured using a ruler to make 0.2m, 0.4m, 0.6m and 0.8m length of thread.

6. If we vary the length of a pendulum, the period will change. Make an appropriate table to
record the data of L and T .

L (m) T (s)

0.2 0.92

0.4 1.30

0.6 1.60

0.8 1.80
7. Given an equation 𝑇² = 4π²(𝐿/𝑔) has form of a linear equation y = mx +c. By plotting a
2
graph of acceleration, 𝑇 versus L what is the quantity represented by the gradient of the
graph?

Quantity represented by the graph is the gravitational acceleration,g.

2
8. How do we determine the value of g from the graph of 𝑇 versus L ?

2
To determine the value of g from the graph of 𝑇 versus L, use the equation :
2
4π
g= 𝑚

ABSTRACT
This experiment is conducted to determine the value of gravitational acceleration and to
investigate the relationship between lengths of the pendulum to the period of motion in simple
harmonic motion by using simple pendulum. The independent variable of this experiment
would be the length of the string while the dependent variable would be the period of time.
Measure a string for 0.2m and tie it to a mass. The mass of the pendulum will be displaced
about 10▫ from its equilibrium position and the mass was released.. The time for 10 complete
oscillations (10T) were measured and recorded. Next, repeat the experiment with different
lengths of string which are 0.4m, 0.6m. and 0.8m. Three readings were taken and the average
was calculated for each length. Period of oscillation is obtained. Graph for T²(s) vs l(m) is
plotted. The gradient of the graph is calculated and used in the Galileo formula to find the
gravitational acceleration. From this experiment the gravity acceleration is 9.87m/s² which
varies by 0.71 % from the standard gravity acceleration which is 9.8m/s². In conclusion, the
gravitational acceleration is determined as 9.87m/s². The relationship between lengths of the
pendulum to the period of motion in simple harmonic motion is as the length of a thread
increases,time taken to complete 10 oscillations increases. T² is directly proportional with l
because the graph was from the origin.

INTRODUCTION
Periodic motion is motion repeated in equal intervals of time. A rocking chair, the tuning fork,
or a swing in motion, for example, all conduct periodic motion. This motion is recognized as
oscillation motion. In each case the interval of time for a repetition, or cycle, of the motion is
called a period, while the number of periods per unit time is called the frequency. A mechanical
device that travels in an oscillating motion is the simple pendulum. It consists of a point mass
‘m' hung from a fixed support by a light inextensible string of length L. A stationary pendulum
has its string in a vertical position with the mass hanging straight down. This is known as the
pendulum's equilibrium position. The pendulum's period is the amount of time it takes for the
pendulum mass to complete one oscillation. Pendulums are in common usage such as
playground swing and mechanical clock. We may uncover the conditions under which the
simple pendulum performs simple harmonic motion and obtain an intriguing equation for its
period by looking into it a little more.

In this experiment, a simple pendulum will be used to determine the value of gravitational
acceleration by using a simple pendulum. Next, the simple pendulum also will be used to
investigate the relationship between lengths of the pendulum to the period of motion in simple
harmonic motion.

THEORY
An oscillation of simple pendulum is a simple harmonic motion if:
a) The mass of the spherical mass is a point mass
b) The mass of the string is negligible
c) Amplitude of the oscillation is small (< 10o)

According to Glileo’s equation, the period of oscillation of a simple pendulum, T is given by

𝑙
T = 2π 𝑔

2 2 𝑙
𝑇 = 4π 𝑔

where
l = length of pendulum
g = acceleration due to gravity

SUGGESTED APPARATUS
A “do-it-yourself” simple pendulum consist of a mass, m suspended by a thread, and a timer
from your cell phone.

METHODOLOGY

1. The length, l of the thread was measured.

2. A mass was tied to the end of the thread.

3. The mass was displaced about 10o from its equilibrium position.

4. The mass was released and was let swing back and forth.

5. The time that it takes to make 10 complete oscillations was measured.

6. All the above procedures were repeated using different lengths , l of threads = 0.2m,
0.4m, 0.6m, and 0.8m
RESULT AND ANALYSIS

Table 1 (MUHAMMAD AKMAL HAZIQ BIN MOHD RAMLI)

L (m) 10T (s) T (s) T² (s)

0.2 9.1

9.2 9.2 0.92 0.85

9.2

0.4 13.3
13.2 1.30 1.69
13.2

13.2

0.6 16.2
16.3 1.60 2.60
16.4

16.2

0.8 18.4
18.4 1.80 3.20
18.3

18.5

Table 2 ( ALISA ZULAIKHA BT MOHD AZLAN)

L (m) 10T (s) T (s) T² (s)

0.2 9.3

9.2 9.3 0.93 0.86

9.3

0.4 13.1

12.9 12.9 1.29 1.66

12.8

0.6 15.9
15.8 1.58 2.50
15.8

15.8

0.8 18.2
 18.2
18.2 1.82 3.31
18.2
Table 3 (NURELYYANA BINTI SABAN)
L (m) 10T (s) T (s) T² (s)

0.2 9.110

9.140 9.127 0.913 0.834

9.130

0.4 12.920

12.900 12.907 1.291 1.667

12.900

0.6 15.680

15.700 15.697 1.570 2.465

15.710

0.8 18.020

18.050 18.027 1.803 3.251

18.010

Table 4 (NUR QURRATU’SYAZA BINTI ADNAN)

L (m) 10T (s) T (s) T² (s)

0.2 9.450 9.303 0.930 0.866

9.310

9.510

0.4 13.090 13.060 1.306 1.706

13.140

12.950

0.6 15.840 15.853 1.585 2.513

15.870

15.850

0.8 18.160 18.260 1.826 3.334

18.270
 18.350

ANALYSIS
Graph 1(MUHAMMAD AKMAL HAZIQ BIN MOHD RAMLI)

percentage error:|9.87−9.8|÷9.8x100=0.71%
Graph 2 (ALISA ZULAIKHA BT MOHD AZLAN)

Graph 3 (NURELYYANA BINTI SABAN)

Percentage error = |9.629-9.8| ÷ 9.8 x 100%

= 1.74%
Graph 3 (NURELYYANA BINTI SABAN)

percentage error:|9.969−9.8|÷9.8x100=1.72%
Graph 4 (NUR QURRATU’SYAZA BINTI ADNAN)

percentage error:|9.476−9.8|÷9.8x100=3.31%
DISCUSSION

The experiment has been carried out with 4 different lengths of a thread which is 0.2 m, 0.4 m,
0.6 m, and 0.8 m. For each thread 3 readings of the time needed to make 10 complete
oscillations were taken and the final results will be the average of those three readings. After
collecting all the results a graph was plotted to get the gradient. The gradients are an important
component that will be used to calculate the gravity acceleration .

For the first thread which has length of 0.2 m, three readings were taken. For the first
reading was 9.1 second and for the second and third readings the time taken to complete 10
oscillations was 9.2 seconds. The average calculated from these readings were equal to 9.2
seconds.The time for 1 oscillation was 0.92 seconds.The T^2 for 0.2m thread is 0.85. Next, The
experiment was repeated using length 0.4m. For the first reading 13.3 seconds were taken for
the pendulum to complete 10 oscillations.The second and third reading recorded the same time
taken which is 13.2 seconds. The average for these three readings is 13.2 seconds and the time
taken to complete 1 oscillation is 1.3 seconds.The T^2 for this 0.4 thread is 1.69 seconds.

For the next thread which was 0.6m, the time required for completing 10 oscillation
were 16.2 seconds for the first reading, 16.4 seconds for second reading and 16.2 seconds for
the third reading. So, the average time is 16.3 seconds and time needed to complete 1
oscillation is 1.6 seconds.The T^2 for 0.6 m thread is 2.60 seconds. Lastly for the 0.8m thread
the time taken is 18.4 seconds for the first reading, 18.3 second for second reading and 18.5
seconds for the last reading. Hence, the average time taken is 18.4 seconds and time taken for
1 oscillation is 1.8 seconds.The T^2 for 0.8 m thread is 3.20 seconds. After moving and
plotting the data on the graph (T^2/L),the gradient are calculated and the gradient is equal to 4.
The gravitational acceleration is 9.87 m/s². The error percentage is also calculated which is
0.71 %.
The formula to calculate gradient is :

The formula to calculate gravitational acceleration is:

g = 4π2/m

The trend for all the final results has shown that the more length of a thread used , the time
taken to complete the 10 oscillations are also increased.

CONCLUSION

Based on the experiment, as the length of a thread increases,time taken to complete 10

oscillations also increases. T^2 is directly proportional with L because the graph was from the
origin. The gravitational force obtained from the experiment is 9.87 ms^-2

REFERENCES
1.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_harmonic_motion
2.https://courses.lumenlearning.com/physics/chapter/16-3-simple-harmonic-motion-a-special-p
eriodic-motion/

POST-LAB QUESTIONS

1. Is air resistance or friction a systematic or random source of error?

Friction or air resistance is a source of systematic error.

2. Would air resistance causes the period measured from the experiment larger or smaller
than the theoretical value?

Air resistance would cause the period measured to be larger than the theoretical value.

3. What would be the period of a simple pendulum of length 1.0 m?

𝑙
T = 2π 𝑔

1.0
T = 2π 9.8

T = 2.007s

4. What would be the period of a 1.0 m length pendulum if it were oscillating on the moon?

𝑙
T = 2π 𝑔

1.0
T = 2π 1.6

T = 4.967s