CENTRE OF FOUNDATION STUDIES

FOUNDATION PHYSICS I
LABORATORY REPORT

Experiment Simple Harmonic Pendulum

Lab Instructor’s Name Madam Nur Asyikin Binti Ahmad Nazri

Date of Experiment 20 September 2021

Member 1 Muhammad Shabrun Izz Hail Bin Shahrizalhisham (2021630812)

Member 2 Khairunnisa Shazlyn Binti Johari (2021841542)

Member 3 Nur Shazielawati Binti Johari (2021213972)

Member 4 Aida Humaira Binti Rahimi (2021469754)

Marks

Comment
ABSTRACT

A simple pendulum is a piece of mass attached to a thread and supported rigidly from one
end. Pendulums are in common usage. In this experiment, length of the pendulum and period
of the motion were determined. Simple pendulum experiment is mainly carried out for
calculating the time period of an oscillation, where there is a change in the length. The
experiment clearly showed that the length has effect on the period of oscillation while the mass
of the bob and angle of displacement remain constant. For small displacement, a pendulum is
a simple harmonic oscillator. The results of the experiment are in close agreement with theory.
Acceleration due to gravity(g) which on earth is 9.8 m/s2 is involved in the period of motion.
In this experiment, we measured g by measuring the period of a pendulum of a known length.
Exploring the simple pendulum a bit further, we can discover the conditions under which it
performs simple harmonic motion, and we can derive an interesting expression for its period.

INTRODUCTION

Many things in nature wiggle in a periodic fashion. That is, they vibrate. For example, a
simple pendulum is a good example of physical phenomena involve periodic motion. This
motion known as oscillation motion. A simple pendulum is defined to have an object has a
small mass, also known as the pendulum bob, which is suspended from a light wire or string.
The time a pendulum takes to swing back or we can call it as period, depends only on the length
of the pendulum. Another factor involved in the period motion is the acceleration due to gravity
(g), which the earth is 9.8 m/s2. It follows that a long pendulum has a greater period than a
shorter pendulum. A pendulum exhibits simple harmonic motion which allowed us to measure
the gravitational constant by measuring the period of the pendulum.

The objective of the experiment is to determine the value of gravitational acceleration by

using a simple pendulum. Besides, to investigate the relationship between lengths of pendulum
to the period of motion simple harmonic motion.

For theory, this experiment refers to oscillation of simple pendulum. An oscillation of

simple pendulum is a simple harmonic motion in these three conditions. The first one, if the
mass of the spherical mass is a point mass. Next, if the mass of the string is negligible. Lastly,
if amplitude of the oscillation is small (<10).

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

where,

l = length of pendulum

g = acceleration due to gravity

METHODOLOGY

Figure 1

The length, l of the thread was measured. A mass was tied to the end of the thread. The mass
was displaced about 10° from its equilibrium position. The mass was released and let it swing
back and forth. The total time that it takes to make 10 complete oscillations was measured. All
the above procedures were repeated using different length of threads as suggested in Table 1.1.
RESULT AND CALCULATION

Table 1.1

l (m) 10 T (s) T (s) T² (s²)

9.15

0.2 9.09 9.10 0.8976 0.8057

9.07

12.84

0.4 12.85 12.82 1.2694 1.6114

12.78

15.87

0.6 15.75 15.81 1.5547 2.4170

15.81

18.00

0.8 18.00 18.03 1.7952 3.2227

18.09
ANALYSIS

Period Squared vs. Length

The gradient of the graph can be calculated as following;

𝒚₂ − 𝒚₁
Gradient, m =
𝒙₂ − 𝒙₁

According to the graph, the first point has the coordinate of (0.2, 0.8057) and the last point has
the coordinate of (0.8, 3.2227).
So,
3.2227𝑠 − 0.8057𝑠
Gradient of the graph, m = 0.8𝑚 − 0.2𝑚
= 4.0355
Sample Calculation

𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 1 + 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 2 + 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 3

1. The average reading of the total time =
3

The average reading of the total time of length of the thread, 𝑙 = 0.2 m
9.15 𝑠 + 9.09 𝑠 + 9.07 𝑠
= 3

= 9.10 s

The average reading of the total time of length of the thread, 𝑙 = 0.4 m
12.84 𝑠 + 12.85 𝑠 + 12.78 𝑠
= 3

= 12.82 s

The average reading of the total time of length of the thread, 𝑙 = 0.6 m
15.87 𝑠 + 15.75 𝑠 + 15.81 𝑠
= 3

= 15.81 s

The average reading of the total time of length of the thread, 𝑙 = 0.8 m
18.00 𝑠 + 18.00 𝑠 + 18.09 𝑠
= 3

= 18.03 s

2. The period of oscillation of a simple pendulum, 𝑇 can be calculate as following

The period of oscillation of a simple pendulum, 𝑇 for 𝑙 = 0.2 m

0.2𝑚
𝑇 = 2𝝿√9.80𝑚/𝑠²

= 0.8976 s

The period of oscillation of a simple pendulum, 𝑇 for 𝑙 = 0.4 m

0.4𝑚
𝑇 = 2𝝿 √9.80𝑚/𝑠²

= 1.2694 s
The period of oscillation of a simple pendulum, 𝑇 for 𝑙 = 0.6 m
0.6𝑚
𝑇 = 2𝝿 √9.80𝑚/𝑠²

= 1.5547 s

The period of oscillation of a simple pendulum, 𝑇 for 𝑙 = 0.8 m

0.8𝑚
𝑇 = 2𝝿 √9.80𝑚/𝑠²

= 1.7952 s

3. The value of 𝑇² can be obtained by square the value of 𝑇.

i) 𝑇 = 0.8976 s
𝑇² = (0.8976)²
= 0.8057 s²

ii) 𝑇 = 1.2694 s
𝑇² = (1.2694)²
= 1.6114 s²

iii) 𝑇 = 1.5547 s
𝑇² = (1.5547)²
= 2.4170 s²

iv) 𝑇 = 1.7952 s
𝑇² = (1.7952)²
= 3.2227 s²
DISCUSSION

From the equation gradient of the graph, we can get the value of the gravitational
acceleration as the following;
4𝞹²
Gradient, m = 𝑔

4𝞹²
𝑔= 𝑚

4𝝿²
= ----------------
4.0355 s²/m

=9.7828 m/s²

The percentage error of the gravitational acceleration can be calculated as the following;
𝒈𝝉 − 𝒈𝒎
Percentage error = x 100%
𝒈𝝉
Where g𝝉 is 9.80 m/s² and gm is the value of the gravitational acceleration from the graph.

So, Percentage error = 9.80 m/s² - 9.78 m/s²

-------------------------- x 100%
9.80 m/s²
= 0.204%

When the length of the thread is 0 m, the value of the period of the oscillation of a
simple pendulum will be equal to 0 s (neglecting the value of the uncertainty). So, according
to the Graph Period Squared vs. Length, the period of the motion is directly proportional with
the length of the thread. To be clear, the longer the length of the thread, the farther the mass
(a simple pendulum) falls. Hence, the longer the time it takes for the mass to complete 10
oscillations.

The sources of error in this part of the experiment are due to the precision of the length
of the thread. When we tie the mass (a simple pendulum) to the end of the thread, the thread
will be shortened from the actual length. The thread now is not equal to the actual length,
which may cause the distance of the mass to fall slightly from the actual distance. This action
caused the value of the total time of 10 oscillations of the mass to be inaccurate. To avoid this
error, we need to cut the thread 1 or 2 cm more than the original length.

The second error is due to the air resistance inherent in the environment. When we
release the mass to swing, air resistance from the environment will disturb the mass to swing.
This may cause the mass to swing faster. We will get the shorter value of the total time of 10
oscillations of the mass. Even though we switch off the fan to reduce the air resistance, there
is still friction between the swing mass and the surrounding air. This can be minimized by
using a heavier spherical mass than the lighter one with a variety of shapes.
 The last error is due to the measurement process. When we use a stopwatch to measure
the time of the mass’s period, it will give different results in three trials due to the small
differences in the observer's reaction to hitting the stop button when the mass reaches the end
point. This action may cause the reading of the time taken to be too high or low. By taking
more reading (more than three times), the value of the time taken of 10 oscillations will be
closer to the actual reading.
CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the period of oscillation of a simple pendulum with length 0.2m is 0.8976s, a
simple pendulum with length 0.4m is 1.2694s, a simple pendulum with length 0.6m is 1.5547s,
a simple pendulum with length 0.8m is 1.7952s. From the periods of oscillation of a simple
pendulum that had gained from the experiment, the gravitational acceleration, g can be found
4𝜋 2
by find the gradient from the graph 𝑇 2 against L. By using this equation 𝑚 = , the value of
𝑔

gravitational acceleration is 9.7828m/𝑠 2 . From this experiment, the length of the pendulum is
directly proportional to the period of motion in simple harmonic motion.

Post Lab Questions

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

Air resistance or friction is a systematic error.

2. Would air resistance causes the period measured from the experiment larger or smaller

than the theoretical value?

Yes, the air resistance will cause the period measured from the experiment become a
little bit larger or smaller than the theoretical value.

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

𝑙
𝑇 = 2𝜋√
𝑔

1.0𝑚
𝑇 = 2𝜋√
9.80𝑚/𝑠 2

𝑇 = 2.0070𝑠

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

𝑙
𝑇 = 2𝜋√
𝑔𝑚𝑜𝑜𝑛
 1.0𝑚
𝑇 = 2𝜋√
1.62𝑚/𝑠 2

𝑇 = 4.9365𝑠