B.A./B.Sc.

Mathematics – 5th Semester

MTM 505 – Mechanics
Class Notes for Section–A

by

Dr. Krishnendu Bhattacharyya

Department of Mathematics,
Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University
 COMPOUND PENDULUM
A compound pendulum is rigid body suspended from its one point, which
may oscillate or swing under gravity about a fixed axis when slightly
displaced from its equilibrium position.
The fixed axis must passes through the body. The equilibrium position is
the position of the rest of the hanging body. In equilibrium position the
centre of gravity of the body is vertically below the fixed point.
Let a rigid body be suspended from one fixed axis passing through it, in
equilibrium position. Let in equilibrium position the downward vertical

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OZ through O, the fixed point in the axis of rotation is the fixed line in
space.
Let G be the centre of gravity with OG =h and OGB be a line fixed in the
body. Initially both lines are in vertical direction and hence coincident.
Let the body be displaced on one side up to a
position where the line OGB make an angle  with
OZ and released from this position. Let  be the
angle at any position.
If m is the mass of body, then mg acts downward at
G making angle  with OGB. So due to the

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component mg sin  acting perpendicular to OGB directed towards OZ the
body starts moving towards OZ about O in a vertical plane.
Then the equation of motion about O may be written as
mk 2  mgh sin  .
where mk 2 is the M.I. of the body about the axis of rotation.
Integrating w.r.t.  we have
mk 2 2  2mgh cos  constant
Initially,    ,  0  constant  2mgh cos

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So we have,
mk 2 2  2mgh  cos  cos   .
The linear velocity of G is h may be obtained as
1
2 gh3  2 gh3 
 h 
2
 2  cos  cos   , i.e., h   2  cos  cos   
2

k  k 
So at the vertical position the linear velocity of G is
1
 2 gh3
2

 k 2 1  cos    .
 

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Let the displacement in the body from its equilibrium position be very
small, i.e.,  be very small.
Then we have sin   
The equation of motion becomes
gh
 2
.
k
This represents a simple harmonic motion about the fixed point O. The
two positions of rest on either sides of the downward vertical are   
and    . So  is called the amplitude of SHM.

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The time period of this SHM will be

2 k2
T  2 g
gh h
k2
Comparing this result with that of a simple pendulum the length of
 k2 
compound pendulum may be said to be   .
 h
Thus a point, known as point of oscillation on the line OGB is at a
 k2 
distance   from the fixed point, called point of suspension.
 h

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 k2
Let the point of oscillation be B. Then OB  .
h
It should be noted that point of oscillation will be below the centre of
gravity and may not be the end point of the line fixed in the body.
Because of this comparison a compound pendulum is also called as
Simple Equivalent Pendulum (SEP).

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It may be shown that point of suspension and point of oscillation may be
interchanged without affecting the radius of gyration of the body and the
time period of the pendulum.
We have
mk 2  M.I of the body about axis of rotation through O
= M.I about parallel axis through G  m  OG 
2

 mk 2  mh2 ( k  is radius of gyration of the body about G)

k2 
 k   h   h
2

h 

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k 2  OG  OB  OG   OG.GB
which shows that k  remain same if O and B are interchanged and hence
the result.
*The time period T will be extremum, i.e., the length of the compound
pendulum will be extremum when
dl k 2 k 2
 0 where l   h
dh h h
k 2
 1  2  0  k   h
h

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 d 2l 2k 2
 2   3 is +ve
dh h
Thus the time period is least for k   h i.e. when the length of the
pendulum is 2h.
Further if h  0 or h   , the length becomes infinite, i.e. the time period
will become infinity. This will happen when axis of rotation either passes
through centre of gravity or is at infinity from the centre of gravity.

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Example: Find the time of oscillation of compound pendulum, consisting
of a rod of mass m and length a, carrying at one end a solid sphere, of
mass m1 and diameter 2b and the other end being fixed.
Solution: Here we have
a2  2b2 
 m  m1  k  m  m1  a  b   
2 2

3  5 
a
and  m  m1  h  m  m1  a  b  ,
2
where k is radius of gyration of the system about axis of rotation and h is
the distance of centre of gravity from the axis of rotation.

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So, the length of the pendulum is
a2  2b 2 
m  m1  a  b  
2

k 2
3  5 
 .
a
h m  m1  a  b 
2
 k2 
So the required time period is T  2   g
 h

a2  2b 2 
m  m1  a  b  
2

3  5 
i.e., T  2 .
 ma 
g  m1  a  b  
 2 

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Examples: Find the length of the pendulum in the following cases-
(1) Circular wire, axis (a) a tangent (b) a perpendicular to the plane of the
wire at any point of its arc.
(2) Circular disc, axis a tangent.
(3) Elliptic lamina, axis a latus rectum.
(4) Hemisphere, axis a diameter of the box.
(5) Cube of side 2a, axis (a) an edge (b) a diagonal of one of its faces.
(6) Triangular lamina ABC, axis (a) the side BC (b) a perpendicular to the
lamina at A.
(7) Cone: axis a diameter of the base.

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Example: Three equal particle are attached to a weightless rod at equal
distances a apart. The system is suspended from a point of the rod distant
x from the middle particle and is free to turn about it. Find the time period
of a small oscillation, and show that it is least when x  0.82a , nearly.
Solution: Let AB be the light rod suspended from a point P with G being
the midpoint of AB. Three masses, each being m is attached at A, G, B.
Now AG  BG  a , and GP  x . So h  x and, the M.I of the system
about the axis of rotation through P is

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 m  m  m  k 2  3mk 2 where k is radius of gyration of the system about
the axis of rotation.
Hence 3mk 2  m  a  x   mx 2  m  a  x 
2 2

 m  3 x 2  2a 2 

The length of the pendulum is

k2 2a 2
l   x
h 3x
 2a 2 
Thus the required time period is 2  x   g .
 3x 

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 dl 2a 2 2
We also have  1 2  0  x  a  x  0.8164a
dx 3x 3
 x  0.82a (Nearly)
d 2 l 4a 2
Also, 2  3  0
dx 3x
Hence the length of pendulum is minimum when x  0.82a (nearly) and
consequently the time period is also minimum when x  0.82a .

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Example: A weightless straight rod ABC of length 2a is movable about
the end A which is fixed and carries two particles of the same mass, one
fastened to the middle point B and the other to the end C of the rod. If the
rod be held in a horizontal position and be then let go, show that its
6g 5a
angular velocity when vertical is and is the length of the simple
5a 3
equivalent pendulum.

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Example: A simple circular pendulum is formed of a mass M suspended
from a fixed point by a weightless wire of length l, if a mass m very small
compared with M be knotted on to the wire at a point distant a from the
point of suspension, show that the time of a small vibration of the
m a a
pendulum is approximately diminished by 1   of itself.
2M l  l 

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