NAME: CARLOS BABU

STUDENT ID: s11147301

DATE: 8/03/18

WEEK: 5

PARTNER: S11135637

Experiment 2: The Compound Pendulum

Aim
To investigate the behaviour of a compound pendulum and in particular to use the data of its
behaviour to find the values of “K” and “g” (the radius of gyration).

Apparatus
- A metal bar of length 1 meter, with holes drilled at equal interval

- A knife edge supported of the bar, which will be used as the axis of rotation.

- 1 stop watch, a meter rule, electronic weight balance and Vernier calliper.

Method
The method use for conducting this experiment is in the lab manual. You can refer to page 6
and 7 of PH102 lab manual.

Theory/ Introduction
The compound pendulum is the normal topic in physics lesson or in the laboratory sessions.
The compound pendulum consists of a physical mass which rotates from any point to another
but not the point of centre of gravity. Basically, this experiment has required obtain two values
from the experimental results. The period of small amplitude oscillation of a limited body of
a mass about the horizontal pivot point. An ideal point which known as simple pendulum is a
point mass located at the end of a weight less string. This ideal pendulum can be approach
closely by suspending a heavy sphere from a light string or cord. However as a result, the
mathematical expression for the behaviour of the actual pendulum cannot be ideal. Therefore
when the oscillation become small the expression for the period of oscillation is shown below.

Image from Fuzzy Control of Compound Pendulum Angle

 Results and Discussion

Table 1 Calculation for Moment of Inertia

Mass 0.85 ± 0.01 𝑘𝑔

Length 1.02 ± 0.01 𝑘𝑔
Width 0.03 ± 0.01 𝑘𝑔
Moment of Inertia 0.07 ± 0.01 𝑘𝑔

Table 2

Time for 30 Oscillations Period

𝒉 (𝒎) ± 𝒎 𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝟏(𝒔) ± 𝒔 𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝟐(𝒔) ± 𝒔 𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝟑(𝒔) ± 𝒔 𝑻 (𝒔) ± 𝒔
0.51 47.88 48.13 48.35 1.60
0.43 46.94 47.35 47.21 1.57
0.39 46.38 46.31 46.31 1.54
0.33 44.40 45.75 45.69 1.51
0.29 45.95 45.65 45.78 1.53
0.23 46.89 46.81 46.47 1.56
0.18 46.21 46.31 45.84 1.54
0.14 45.28 45.13 45.18 1.51

Table 3

𝒉 (𝒎) ± 𝒎 𝑻 (𝒔) ± 𝒔 𝑻𝟐 (𝑺𝟐 ) ± 𝑺𝟐 𝑻𝟐 (𝑺𝟐 𝒎) ± 𝑺𝟐 𝒎 𝒉𝟐 (𝒎𝟐 ) ± 𝒎𝟐

0.51 1.60 2.56 1.31 1.72
0.43 1.57 2.46 1.06 1.12
0.39 1.54 2.37 0.29 0.08
0.33 1.51 2.28 0.75 0.56
0.29 1.53 2.34 0.68 0.46
0.23 1.56 2.43 0.56 0.31
0.18 1.54 2.37 0.43 0.18
0.14 1.51 2.28 0.32 0.10
 Graph of 𝑻^𝟐 Against 𝒉^𝟐
1.6

1.4

1.2

1
y = 0.6134x + 0.3277
𝑻^𝟐

0.8 R² = 0.964
0.6

0.4

0.2

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2
𝒉^𝟐

Gradients of line is 0.61.

Graph of T Against h
1.61
1.6
1.59
1.58
1.57
T (S)

1.56
1.55
1.54
1.53
1.52
1.51
1.5
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6
h (m)
 Analysis/Simple Calculations

Calculation of Moment of Inertia

𝑳𝟐 + 𝑾𝟐
𝑰=𝒎( )
𝟏𝟐

(1.02 ± 0.01)𝟐 + (0.03 ± 0.01)2

𝐼 = (0.85 ± 0.01)( )
12

(1.0404 ± 0.01)𝟐 + (0.0009 ± 0.01)2

𝐼 = (0.85 ± 0.01)( )
12

(1.0404 + 0.0009) + ( 0.01 + 0.0001)

𝐼 = (0.85 ± 0.01)( )
12

(1.0413 ± 0.0101)
𝐼 = (0.85 ± 0.01)( )
12

(0.85 ± 0.01)(1.0413 ± 0.0101)

𝐼=( )
12

(0.85 × 1.0413) ± (0.01 + 0.0101)

𝐼=( )
12

0.885105
𝐼= ( ) ± (0.0201)
12

𝑰 = (𝟎. 𝟎𝟕 ± 𝟎. 𝟎𝟐 )𝒌𝒈𝒎𝟐

𝑰 = 𝑴𝒌𝟐

𝐼 0.07
𝐾= √ = √ = 𝟎. 𝟑𝟏𝒎
𝑀 0.85
 Absolute Uncertainty of the Gradients.

Maximum Uncertainty Gradients

(𝒚𝟐−𝒚𝟏)
𝒎 = (𝒙𝟐−𝒙𝟏)

(1.4 −1)
𝒎= (1.6 − 1.12)
= 𝟎. 𝟖𝟑

Minimum Uncertainty Gradients

(𝒚𝟐−𝒚𝟏)
𝒎= (𝒙𝟐−𝒙𝟏)

(1.31 −1)
𝒎= (1.72 −1.12 )
= 𝟎. 𝟓𝟐

The Gradient of the line is already calculated in the graph above which equal to (0.61)
(𝑀𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝐺𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡−𝑁𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙)+(𝑁𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙−𝑀𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝐺𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡)
Absolute Uncertainty Gradients: ( )
2

(0.83 − 0.61) + (0.61 − 0.52)

𝑈𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑦 "g" = ( )
2
0.22 + 0.09
𝑈𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑦 "g" = ( ) = 𝟎. 𝟏𝟐
2

Calculation for “k” (Theoretical) with Uncertainties.

Y- Intercept of the normal line

𝑌𝑁𝑜𝑟𝑚 = 𝟎. 𝟐𝟔
Y- Intercept of the Maximum Line
𝑌𝑀𝑎𝑥 = 𝟎. 𝟐

Y- Intercept of the Minimum Line

𝑌𝑀𝑖𝑛 = 𝟎. 𝟒𝟑

(𝑌𝑀𝑎𝑥 − 𝑁𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙) + (𝑁𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙 − 𝑌𝑀𝑖𝑛 )

𝑘=( )
2

(0.2 − 0.26) + (0.26 − 0.43)

𝑘=( ) = ±𝟎. 𝟏𝟏𝟓 ≈ 𝟎. 𝟏𝟐𝒎
2
Calculation for comparing the value of “k” and “g” of the Gravity Using
the Slope of Uncertainties

Calculation for “g & k” Uncertainty

𝟐
𝟒𝝅𝟐 𝟐 𝟒𝝅𝟐 𝒌𝟐
𝐓 𝐡=( )𝒉 + ( )
𝒈 𝒈

4𝜋 2 4𝜋 2
𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒈 = ( 2 ) ℎ = ( ) = (64.72 ± 0.12)
T 0.61
= (64.72 ± (1.2 × 101 )) × 10−1 = (𝟔. 𝟒𝟕 ± 𝟎. 𝟏𝟐) × 𝟏𝟎−𝟏 𝒎/𝒔𝟐

𝟒𝝅𝟐 𝒌𝟐
𝟐
𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒌 = 𝐓 𝐡 = ( )
𝒈
𝟐
𝟒𝝅𝟐 𝒌𝟐
𝐓 𝐡= ( )
𝒈
𝑔 𝑇2 64.72 ×0.26
𝑘 = √( ) = √( ) = 𝟎. 𝟒𝟑 ± 𝟎. 𝟏𝟐 𝒎
4𝜋2 4𝜋2
 QUESTIONS

QUADRATIC EQUATION FOR SOLVING TWO VALUES OF “h1, h2”

−𝑏±√𝑏2 −4𝑎𝑐
a) h =
2𝑎

−(−0.52)±√(−0.52)2 − 4(0.12 ×0.2)

ℎ=
2 ×0.2

0.52±√ 0.27− 0.096

ℎ=
0.4

0.52±√ 0.17
ℎ=
0.4

0.52+√ 0.17 0.52−√ 0.17

ℎ1 = And ℎ2 =
0.4 0.4
𝒉𝟏 = 𝟐. 𝟑𝟑 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝟐 = 𝟎. 𝟐𝟑

b) 𝑘 2 = ℎ1ℎ2

𝑘 = √ℎ1ℎ2

𝑘 = √(2.33 × 0.23 ) = 𝟎. 𝟕𝟑𝒎

From the calculations above for k value, there is a different values obtain from each
solutions. The value of k in step 2 is 0.31 and k in step 6 is 0.12.
 DISCUSSION

This practical experiment is quite interesting in terms of the observation of how compound
pendulum of the bar swings with respect to time. However when doing the experiment by
following the correctly procedure from the lab manual, there are some uncertainties or errors
associated with the results. The contributing factors which associated with the discrepancy is
determine by the timing of the stop watch, at start and stop time. The other factor is the varying
of distance when pulling the 1 meter bar.

The graphs above is illustrating the idea associated with the movement at a certain angle
associate with time. The first graph “T square against H square” or the linear graph shows
the proportionality of T against H. From these graph, it is possible to determine the values of
“g and k” by utilizing the Y-intercept and the gradient. The value of “g” obtain from the
experiment is 64.72m/s which compare to the standard gravitational g = 9.8m/s. Therefore the
absolute uncertainty of this g is(6.47 ± 0.12) × 10−1 𝑚/𝑠 2 .

However the radius of gyration “k” obtain from the calculation is different from the
experimental value. The theoretical value is 0.31𝑚 while compared with the experimental
value is = 0.43 ± 0.12 𝑚. Hence according to the observation to the second graph. Its shape
is like a cubic function type. However, it simply illustrates or describe the relationship between
“g & k”, involving the effects of pendulum motion. Furthermore the cubic function shape states
that from the interval between (0.14 – 0.23) m, the time taken is increase up and from (0.23 –
0.33) m, it decrease. However from (0.33 – 0.51) m it increases again.
 CONCLUSION
To conclude, the experiment was successfully carry out by observing the behaviour of
compound pendulum. The results or data that gets from the experiment also used it to calculate
the value of “k and g”. The data attain was tabulated and using some simple calculation to get
further information required and plot graphs. By using the formulas given, the experiment value
of g is(6.47 ± 0.12) × 10−1 𝑚/𝑠 2 . And the radius of gyration is0.73𝑚.
 REFERENCE
Dr. Ajal Kumar, 2012 Ph102 Classical Physics Lab Manual University of the South Pacific,
Suva, Fiji.