Name: Jivan Raghoo

Date: 17/02/12

Title: Simple Pendulum

Aim: To investigate how the position of the pivot affects the period of oscillations of a

simple pendulum.

Materials & Apparatus:

Meter rule with holes drilled in at 5cm intervals along its length

Stopper

Pin

Retort Stand

Stop-watch

Diagram:

Figure 1 showing the setup of apparatus.

Name: Jivan Raghoo
Theory: A simple pendulum consists of a mass hanging from a string fixed at a pivot

point. When displaced to an initial angle and released, the pendulum will swing back and

forth with periodic motion. In this experiment the pendulum describes simple harmonic

motion. Its acceleration is directly proportional to its distance from a fixed point (i.e. its

distance from the central position of the ruler in its oscillation) and it always accelerates

towards that point.

The rule was displaced slightly so that the angle of displacement, , was treated as a

constant. T = kh

An oscillation is the distance a particle travels until it arrives at the same phase of motion

from which it began. The period, T, is the time it takes for one complete oscillation to

occur. Height, h, is the distance of the pivot from the centre of the rule.

Method:

1. The stopper with the pin placed through it was attached to the retort stand.

2. The meter rule was hung on the pin using one of the holes along its length.

3. The rule was slightly displaced so that it performed small oscillations in a vertical

plane.

4. The distance the centre of the ruler and the pivot and the time taken for 20

oscillations was recorded using the stopwatch.

5. This was repeated until nine sets of readings were exacted and the readings were
recorded.
Name: Jivan Raghoo
Results:Table 1 showing the values of height and time recorded and period (tavg/20)

Height / m Time taken for Time taken for Average time / s Period / s
20 oscillations /s 20 oscillations /s
1 2
0.45 32.1 32.5 32.3 1.62

0.40 31.4 31.7 31.6 1.58

0.35 31.1 31.3 31.2 1.56

0.30 30.8 30.9 30.9 1.55

0.25 30.5 30.7 30.6 1.53

0.20 31.6 31.8 31.7 1.59

0.15 34.1 34.3 34.2 1.71

0.10 39.8 39.4 39.6 1.98

Table 2 showing the values of T2h and h2.

T2h/ms h2/m

1.18 0.203

1.00 0.160

0.85 0.123

0.72 0.090

0.59 0.063

0.51 0.040

0.44 0.023

0.39 0.010
Name: Jivan Raghoo
Variables:

Manipulated: Height.

Responding: Time, Period.

Treatment of results:

y2 y1
Gradient = x2 x1

1.060.4
= 0.17500.0125

= 4.06

y-intercept = 0.35

42 2
T 2h = (h + k 2 )
g

42 2 42 2
T 2h = h + k
g g

y = mx + c

42
= m (gradient of line)
g

42
= 4.06
g

g = 9.72 ms 2

42
And k2 = c (c is y-intercept)
g
Name: Jivan Raghoo
42 2
k = 0.35
g

When g = 9.72

k = 0.29
Name: Jivan Raghoo
Precautions:

The windows in the room were closed to reduce errors due to environmental

factors.

The angle of displacement was small so that the experiment obeys the rules of

simple harmonic motion.

Sources of error:

Reaction time of the experimenter caused an error in time taking.

There were slight variations in the displacements of the rule at different heights.

Conclusion:

As the pivot moves further from the center of the ruler, the period decreases. Therefore

the position of the pivot affects the period of oscillation of a simple pendulum.