VIBRATIONS LAB REPORT 6

Lab Report: Compound Pendulum

MOHAMMAD BILAL RAZA

342424
ME 12 A
INSTRUCTOR: Sir. Muhammad Zeeshan Ahsan

1
Objective
 The objective of this experiment is to investigate the relationship between the length of a
compound pendulum and its time period of oscillation.

Introduction
A compound pendulum consists of a rigid rod or mass that is free to rotate about a fixed axis. The time
period of a compound pendulum, the time it takes for one complete oscillation, is influenced by several
factors, including its length. The relationship between the length of a pendulum and its time period was
first described by Galileo in the 17th century. This experiment aims to verify Galileo's findings by
systematically varying the length of a compound pendulum and measuring its time period.

Time period of compound pendulum

consider a compound pendulum consisting of a rigid rod with a mass m attached to it as a bob. The
pendulum oscillates in a plane, and its length is L. We will derive the formula for the time period T of this
compound pendulum. First, let's establish some variables:

I. L: Length of the pendulum (distance from the pivot point to the centre of mass of the bob).
II. θ: Angle between the pendulum and the vertical line (angular displacement).
III. I: Moment of inertia of the pendulum about the pivot point.
IV. α: Angular acceleration.
V. τ: Torque acting on the pendulum.
VI. g: Acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.81 m/s²).

Consider the uniform rigid rod AB shown in figure below:

Its centre of mass is at G when unloaded and it is pivoted at O, where OG = h. A mass M is fixed to the
rod at a distance l

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 from O along AB. If the rod is displaced by an angle 𝝋 from the vertical, the restoring torque 𝝉 is given
by:
τ =−(mh−Ml)g ⋅sin ⁡θ
For a simple pendulum the period for small oscillations is given by:

T 0=2 π
√ L0
g

2 L0
T 0=4 π
g
A simple pendulum with a period T for the compound pendulum would have a length (called the
equivalent length) that can be obtained by equation.

[ ]
m 2 2
( h +k ) + L2
M
L0 =
m
h+ L
M

So now after supplying in the values of Lo and g we get the formula for time period as

T =2 π
√ m K 2 + M l2
(mh+ Ml)g
L
K=
√ 12
Apparatus
1. Rigid rod

2. Mass or bob for the pendulum

3. Measuring tape or ruler

4. Stopwatches

5. Clamp or stand.

Procedure
1. Measure the mass of bb and steel rod.
2. Find the center of gravity of rod.
3. Mount the knife edge on the rod and insert in the slot of the wall mount pendulum apparatus.
4. Measure all the above defined parameters (L, h, m, M) according to diagram.
5. Then tight the mass (bob) on the other end of the rod.
6. Take the bob from its original position to point B or C.
7. Take a stopwatch to measure total time of oscillation.
8. Released the bob and instantly start the stopwatch.

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 9. Note the time of 20 oscillations and calculate the time period by using formula.

Time of total oscillation

Time Period=
Total number oscillations
This time period will be practical time period. 10. Repeat the procedure 2 to 3 times and take the
average time period. 11. Change the position of mass and knife edge on the rod and repeat the same
procedure. 12. Compare it with theoretical values.

Results
The following table summarizes the data obtained during the experiment:
Pendulum Time Period (s)(experimental) Time period (s) (theoretical) Error (%)
Length (cm)

43.5 1.355 1.15 17

57.5 1.525 1.34 13

73.5 1.703 1.53 11

87.5 1.818 1.69 8

Calculations:
Performing calculations for the index 1 values:

Time period:

L
K=
√ 12
0.96
K= =0.28
√12

T =2 π
√ m K 2 + M l2
(mh+ Ml)g

T =2 π
√
( 0.273 ) ( 0.28 )2 + ( 0.496 ) ( 0.435 )2
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Error Evaluation:

Formula used for error evaluation is

Experimental value−Theoretical value

Time Period= ∗100
Theoretical value
1.355−1.15
Time Period= ∗100=17 %
1.15

Graph:
The graphical relation between the length of the pendulum and the time period would be

Lenght vs Time period

2
1.8
1.6
Time Period

1.4
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
43.5 57.5 73.5 87.5

Length

MATLAB Graph:

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Discussion:
In the experiment, we observed that the experimental time periods for different pendulum lengths
consistently exceeded the theoretical predictions. This discrepancy can be attributed to real-world
factors such as air resistance, friction, and the distribution of mass along the rod.

I. Length 43.5 cm: The experimental time period was 17% higher than the theoretical value.
II. Length 57.5 cm: The experimental time period was 13% higher than the theoretical value.
III. Length 73.5 cm: The experimental time period was 11% higher than the theoretical value.
IV. Length 87.5 cm: The experimental time period was 8% higher than the theoretical value.

The discrepancies in the experimental and theoretical values may be due to several factors like

I. Motion of pendulum in two planes instead of one plane

II. Vibrations in the pendulum
III. Human error in reading time for oscillations
IV. Improper tightening of the screw of attachment of bob to the rod
V. The unused length of the rod adding mass but the length of it is not considered

The observed errors emphasize the need to account for practical influences when interpreting results.
Despite the discrepancies, the experiment successfully illustrated the relationship between pendulum
length and time period, highlighting the importance of real-world factors in physics experiments. Further
investigations may focus on minimizing these external influences and refining the theoretical model.

Conclusion
The experiment validated the fundamental relationship between the length of a compound pendulum
and its time period, in accordance with the theoretical predictions. However, the observed experimental
time periods consistently exceeded the theoretical values. This divergence is primarily due to real-world
factors such as air resistance and friction, as well as the distribution of mass along the rod. It underscores
the importance of accounting for these practical considerations when interpreting experimental results
in the context of theoretical models.

Despite the discrepancies, the experiment successfully demonstrated the concept of a compound
pendulum and its time period, highlighting the value of experimental verification in physics. Further
investigations could explore ways to minimize external influences and refine the theoretical model to
better match real-world observations.