STUDY OF COMPOUND PENDULUM

THEORY:
Any rigid body capable of vibrating about the fixed horizontal axis is called compound
pendulum. It has same time period as simple pendulum. The mass of simple pendulum lies in its
bob but the mass of compound pendulum is distributed on whole body .

Consider a rigid body AB of mass M vibrates about a fixed horizontal axis through S, it is called
Centre of suspension. G is called centre of gravity and the distance between G and S is L such
that GS=l. The body covers some displacement θ which produces rotational effect in body that
ultimately leads to torque.

τ =mgl sin θ

Since displacement covered by pendulum is very small so we can say that:

sin θ=θ τ=mgl θ

Torque produces angular acceleration in body. If I is moment of inertia of body S then:

τ =Iα

−mglθ
Iα=−mglθ ∴ α =
I

Negative sign indicates that angular acceleration is opposite to angular displacement.

If k is the radios of gyration of body ,its moment of inertia is M K 2.

The moment of inertia of body S is given by

I=M K 2+M L2 I=M ( K 2 + L2 ¿

Putting the value of I in above equation :

M gl gl θ
α= 2 2
θ →α= 2 2
M (K + L ) K +L

The angular acceleration of a body is directly proportional to angular acceleration. The motion of body
is therefore simple harmonic and its time period is given by :

√
2π 2

√
2 2 K

√
T= = T=2 π K + L = T=2 +l
gl l
2 2 gl π
K +L g
 √
2
K L which shows that time period of rigid body is same as time period of
If we put +l=L then T=2 π
l g
simple pendulum. This is known as length of equivalent simple pendulum.

If we measure a length GO = k 2 /l along SG produced, then 0 is called the centre of

oscillation. The points S and 0 are interchangeable, i.e., the' time period is the same

 whether the body oscillates about S or O.

2
k
The expression L = +l may be written as a quadratic in I, thus: Il 2 + IL + kk 2 = O.
l

This gives two values of I, say II and I2, for which the body has equal times of vibration.

From the theory of quadratic equations, h + I2 = Land I1I2 = k 2. In Fig. (ii) given below

II = AC and I2 = CD therefore the radius of gyration k = √ l1 l2 ~ and moment of inertia of the

body about its centre of gravity I = Mk2 can be determined.