NLIGHIITEN OSSCILLATIONS (S.H.

M)
04. SIMPLE PENDULUM (M.Q)

SINGLE ANS TYPE QUESTIONS

1. There are two imperfectly adjusted second pendulums P1 and P2 . Pendulums P1 and P2 having
length of L1 and L2 respectively. It is also given that P1 gains n seconds in One hour and P2
looses n seconds in one hour at the same place on earth surface.
Find the true length L0 of a second pendulum at the same place. Choose the best option for true
length.
4L1L2 2L1L2
A) L0  2 B) L0  2
 L1  L2  
L1  L2 
L1L2 L1L2
C) L0  2 D) L0  2
 L1  L2   L1  L2 
(A)
Use Kirchoff’s law.
For second pendulum T = 2seconds
L
T  2 L  T  gain in time
g
L  T  loss in time
2.

(C)
3.

(b)
4. The bob of a simple pendulum which is in the shape of a hollow cylinder of mass M, radius r and
length ‘h’ is suspended by a long string (the mass of the base and lid of cylinder are negligible).
The cylinder is filled with a liquid of density  upto a height ‘x’. Then the value of ‘x’ for which
the time period of pendulum is maximum is given by which of the following equations? (Given
   r 2  and string is light, also assume that oscillations are small.)

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A)  x 2  2 Mx  Mh  0 B)  x 2  2 Mx  Mh  0
H
C) x  D)  x 2  2 Mx  Mh  0
2
(D)
x h
x  M
xCM  2 2
M  x
dX CM   x 2 Mh 
 0  M  x x      0
dx  2 2 
 
  x2  2Mx  Mh  0
5. Two particles execute SHM along x-axis about the origin with same amplitude ‘a’ and frequency
 . At a certain instant, they are found at a distance a/3 from the origin on opposite sides but their
velocities are in the same direction. What is the phase difference between the two? [Assume that
the particles do not collide]
7 5 4 1
(A) cos 1 (B) cos 1 (C) cos 1 (D) cos 1
9 9 9 9
(A)
Let x1  a sin t and x 2  a sin  t    be two S.H.M.s
a a
 a sin t and  a sin  t   
3 3
1 1
sin t  and sin  t    
3 3
1 1 1
Eliminating t, cos   1  sin    cos   8 1  cos2   1
3 9 3
2
 8 1  cos 2    1  cos  
 8  8cos 2   1  cos 2   2cos   0
9cos 2   2cos   7  0
cos   1 or 7/9 i.e.,   1800 or cos 1  7 / 9 
Now 1  a cos t and 2  a cos  t   
If we put   1800
We find that 1 and 2 are of opposite signs.
Hence   1800 is not applicable.
   cos 1  7 / 9 
6. A pendulum of length L has a time period T for small oscillations. An obstacle wall is now

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placed directly beneath the pivot so that length of the pendulum becomes L/4 to the left half of
the swing whereas the length becomes L to the right half of the swing (shown in the figure). If
the bob is released from position A, find the time taken by the bob to return to A.

A) T B) T/2 C) 3T/4 D) T/4

(C)
Time taken from A to B

Time taken to move from B to C

Total time to return from A

7. A pendulum is constructed as a light thin – walled sphere of radius R filled up with water and
suspended at the point O from a light rod. The distance between the point O and the centre of the
sphere is l. Let T & T ' be the time periods of oscillations of such a pendulum before and after
T'
water freezes respectively. Then  (neglecting viscosity of water and change of its volume on
T
freezing)

 2  R 2   5  R 2   2  l 2  2  R2 
(A) 1     (B) 1     (C) 1     (D) 1    
 5  l    2  l    5  R    5  l  
(A)
When the water is in liquid state, the time period of oscillation is
l
T  2
g
When water freezes, it becomes a compound pendulum the time period T1 is
I
T1  2
mgl
 2  R 2 
 T 1  T 1   2 
 
 T  l 
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MULTI TYPE QUESTIONS

8.

(AC)
9. A particle of mass ‘m’ performs SHM with an amplitude ‘a’ and the angular frequency of SHM
of ‘’. When its distance is ‘x’ from the mean position an impulse ‘J’ is given to the particle in
the same direction of motion, its new amplitude is ‘A’ then
A) The mean position location remains unchanged
J
B) A2  x 2  a 2  x 2 
m
C) The angular frequency will not change
D) The maximum speed of particle increases
(ABCD)
Theoretical concept.
10. A simple pendulum is released from rest with it’s string horizontal. Different angular positions of
bob are shown in the figure.

A O
30
45
B

C
D
A) Time taken by bob to cover arc AC is greater than to arc CD
B) Time taken by bob to cover arc AC is equal to arc CD
C) Time taken by bob to cover arc AB is greater than to arc BD
D) Time taken by bob to cover arc AB is equal to arc BD
(AC)
Let the length of the pendulum be l. Along the arc AP the vertical acceleration of the bob is less
than or equal to g (with equality only at the initial point). Correspondingly, the time required to
cover this arc is clearly greater than it would be if the bob were to fall freely between the height
levels of A and P:
2l sin 30 l
t AP   .
g g
Next, let us divide the arc PB into two equal sections, PQ and QB.

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At points P and Q the speeds of the bob can be found using the law of conservation of energy:
 p  2 gl sin 300  gl . While Q  2 gl sin 600  3 gl
The bob clearly covers the l / 6 long arcs PQ and QB more rapidly than if it had moved along
the first section with a constant speed P and along the later one with speed Q . As a formula:
l l l
t PB    0.92 (2)
6 P 6Q g
Comparing the inequalities (1) and (2), it can be seen that t AP  t PB and so we conclude that PB is
the are that is traversed in a shorter time.
11. A ball is hung vertically by a thread of length ‘  ’ from a point P of an inclined wall that makes
an angle  with the vertical. The thread with the ball is the deviated through a small angle
 (   ) and set free. Assuming the wall to be perfectly elastic, the period of such pendulum is
P

 l


 1       1   
(A) 2  2  sin   
g
(B) 2
g sin   
     
  1       1   
(C) 2 cos    (D) 2 cos    
g    g   
(AD)
T 
T  0  2t    2t ……… (i)
2 g
t  time to travel from O to  and ;    sin t
1  T  
t  sin 1    t  0 sin 1  
   2  
putting value of t in equation (1)
  1    
T 2  2  sin    
g   
  1   
2 cos    
g   

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INTEGER TYPE QUESTIONS

12. Two simple pendulums A and B having lengths l and l/4 respectively are released at time t = 0
from the position as shown in the figure. The time after which the two strings become parallel to
 l
each other for the first time is t  ; where b is positive integer. Find the value of b (Angle 
b g
is very small and assume that the pendulums do not disturb each other’s motion).

l/4
 
l
B

A
(3)
The angular position of pendulum 1 and 2 are (taking angles to the right of reference line to be
positive)
 4  l
1  0cos  t [where T  2 ]
 T  g
 2   2 
2  0 cos  t   cos  t  
 T   T 
x'

2 1
1

2 x
For the strings to be parallel for the first time
4   2
or cos  t   cos  t  

 T   T 
4  2 
 t  2n    t  
T  T 
T
for n = 0, t 
2
T 3T
for n = 1, t  ,
6 2
T  l
 Both the pendulum are parallel to each other for the first time after t  
6 3 g

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SUBJECTIVE TYPE QUESTIONS

13.

14.

15.

16.

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17.

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18.

19. Two pendulums of time periods 3 s and 7 s respectively start oscillating simultaneously from two
opposite extreme positions. Find the time after which they will be in phase.
[21/8 s]
20. A seconds pendulum A (time period 2 second) and another simple pendulum B of slightly less
length than A are made to oscillate at t = 0 in same phase. If they are again in the same phase first
time, after 18 seconds, then the time period of B is
[1.8 s]
21.

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22.

23.

[12 S]
24.

[5 S]
25.

[3]
26.

27.

28.

[more]

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29.

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