Experiment: To determine the value of ‘g’ by Kater’s pendulum.

Apparatus used: Kater’s pendulum, telescope, stop watch, meter rod, sharp wedge.

Theory: the value of g can be determined by Kater’s pendulum as relation

Procedure:
1. Fixed the brass weight W1 near one end of the pendulum and fixed knife edge K1 just below it.
The weight W2 is fixed symmetrically with W1 at the opposite end and knife edge K2 just below
it. All this to ensured that the C.G. of the pendulum is shifted close to one end. The two points K1
and K2 about which the time periods are to be made equal will then lie asymmetrically with
respect to the C.G. and there will be a large difference in distances l1 and l2. Further as the size
of brass weight and the wooden weight is same and they are placed symmetrically at the two
ends, the error due to air drags gets eliminated.

2. The small weight W attached with a fine adjustment with a micrometer screw is kept near the
middle portion of the rod.

3. Suspended the pendulum vertically with a rigid support by placing the knife edges K1 on the
smooth leveled glass plate fixed to the support. This is done to reduce the friction. Focused the
telescope at the tip of the lower end.

4. Set the pendulum oscillating with a very small amplitude and note the time for 20 vibrations.

5. then suspend the pendulum vertically about the second knife edge K2 and found the time period
for 20 vibrations. In general this time will be different from the time in step 4. Adjusted the
position of K2 till the time period about it is very nearly the same as that for K1.

6. Again suspended the pendulum at K1 and checked its time period. This might be little different
from its previous value in step 4. This is because of the shift in the position of C.G. due to shift in
K2.

7. Again suspended the pendulum at K2 and adjusted the positions accurately till an approximate
equality with the time period about K1 is attained.

8. Then take the final measurement of period by taking the time for 100 vibrations at each of the
knife edge K1 and K2 turn by turn.

9. Removed the pendulum form the support and balance it on a sharp wedge to locate the position
of C.G. measure the distance between two knife edges by a meter rod. Also measured the
distance of each of the knife edges form C.G.
Observation:
Knife Edge Time for 20 vibrations (s) Time period (s)
K1 32.69 1.634(t1)
K2 32.66 1.633(t2)

Distance between the two knife edges (l1 + l2) = 64.2cm

Distance between the knife edge K1 and C.G. (l1) = 39.7cm

Distance between the knife edge K2 and C.G. (l2) = 24.5cm

Calculations:
g= 9.503 m/s2

Actual value = 9.8 m/s2

Percentage error: (0.3*100)/9.8 = 3.06%

Precautions:
1. The two sharp edges should be parallel to each other and they should be sharp and horizontal.

2. The amplitudes of the vibrations should be small.

3. A very accurate stop watch should be used.