An Oscillating Straw

Year 11 Physics
By Chi Ho Ng

A.B. Paterson College Year 11 Physics

2/24/2011

Introduction
The aim of the experiment is to investigate how the length of the pendulum affects the period of its oscillation in relation to the acceleration of free fall. Using a straw filled with sand in a pendulum position, along with timers and other equipment.

Define variables: Constant:

Independent variables: Dependent variables: Unknowns:

length of straw (L) distance from the middle of straw (h) time taken to complete one period (T) acceleration of free fall (g)

Method
1. Measure the length of the straw 2. Mark the midpoint of the straw with a pen using a ruler with the level of uncertainty to + or 0.5 mm 3. At 30mm away from the midpoint, push the pin through at an right angle to the straw 4. Measure and record the distance h (in mm) between the pin and midpoint by using a ruler with the level of uncertainty to + or 0.5 mm 5. Set up retort stand and other equipment as shown in the diagram 6. Let the straw hang off the pin by making both pins take the same shared weight of the straw to be more accurate 7. Let it stable and use a protractor to a measure 10 degrees angle from its equilibrium point from the top end of the straw 8. When let go use a timer to time how long it takes for the straw to complete five complete periods and record time in the results table 9. Repeat step 7 and 8 three times and take an average to minimize the error 10. Change the h value to 40mm and repeat step 7, 8 and 9 11. Change the h value to 45mm and repeat step 7, 8 and 9 12. Change the h value to 50mm and repeat step 7, 8 and 9

Additional notes to minimise the parallax errors: repeat the test to average out the abnormalities.

Risk assessment
Risk Injuries by needles Sand in eye Dropping retort stand on foot Prevention Use it sensible and don t leave it unattended Don t put it above your eyes Don t put it on the edge of the table/bench

Equipment
y y y y y y y y y y

Cork Straw Pins Sand Blue tack Ruler Timer Retort stand Data recording table Protractor

Diagram

Hand drawn set up of the retort stand and other equipment

Photos

Basic set up of the experiment

Zoomed in on the straw

Results
Independent variable: L, H Dependent variable: T

Data table:
L/mm 224 224 224 L2/mm 50176 50176 50176 H/mm 30 35 40 H2/mm 900 1225 1600 T 1/sec 4.49 4.03 3.67 T2/sec 4.21 3.95 3.84 T 3/sec 4.4 3.9 3.53 Average/sec 4.36 3.96 3.68 T1 osci/sec 0.87 0.79 0.73 T1 osci 2/sec 0.76 0.62 0.54

224 224

50176 50176

45 50

2025 2500

3.57 3.36

3.34 3.45

3.49 3.27

3.46 3.36

0.69 0.67

0.48 0.45

Data set 2
Data collected using a protractor, therefore a constant angle
L/mm 224 224 224 224 224 L2/mm 50176 50176 50176 50176 50176 H/mm 30 35 40 45 50 H2/mm 900 1225 1600 2025 2500 T 1/sec 3.34 3.23 3.1 3.22 3.25 T 2/sec 3.62 3.37 3.29 3.28 3.32 T 3/sec 3.55 3.3 3.27 3.34 3.13 Average/sec 3.50 3.3 3.22 3.28 3.23 T1 osci /sec 0.70 0.66 0.64 0.65 0.64 T1 osci /sec2 0.49 0.43 0.41 0.43 0.41

Analysis
Table used to create the table:
x 900 1225 1600 2025 y

14.72 15.24 16.58 19.36

These data are used to produce a graph because the oscillating straw obeys this equation: . The data plotted out appears to be linear and though regression it is, so therefore a linear equation will be used to find the unknowns, (g). is the standard form for linear equations, to find the unknown (g) using a linear approach will require the oscillating straw s equation to be in a general linear equation format. Therefore:

Where Using this method the unknown (g) would be found, by finding the gradient and substituting and rearranging the equation to g and rearrange the equation to be averaged to min the error. and also by finding the y intercept and substituting in and


. Then two (g) values would be obtained and it will

Working
The linear equation for the graph:

Y intercept= 11 From gradient g=7.01 From y intercept g=7.29 Average =7.15

Second method of finding (g)-less accurate

The flowing way of determining (g) is only using the existing points other than using the more accurate method of using the points from the line of best fit/ model. The oscillating straw obeys this equation:

To find (g) the equation is rearranged to make (g) the subject:

Sub data from h`=30 into equation to find g

Sub data from l=35 into equation to find g

Sub data from l=40 into equation to find g

Sub data from l=45 into equation to find g

Sub data from l=50 into equation to find g

Now an average would be taken to minimise the error

Conclusion
In conclusion, the g value is calculated to be around 7.15m/sec^2 and 9.72m/s^2. It is noticed that as the (h) value increases the time taken to complete one oscillation increases due the weight of the straw which gravity is acted apon. The graph is linear; this is shown by regression on the data and by just looking at the changing y over changing x. This experiment shows that when a pendulum is displaced, gravity will pull it toward it equilibrium with the acceleration of gravity which is 9.81. Due to error in the data collection it is close to the actual value but it wasn t exact. The data from the first

attempt was shown to be not so accurate when the graph was plotted. Therefore it was only used to test another method of the experiment, but in the end it was actually closer to the actual value. This might be because the answer from the first method to find g was averaged so many times but the second wasn t so there is a greater error in the second method. This could be more accurate if the gradient and y intercept was not found by hand.

Evaluation
The accuracy of the data is only limited to a 2 significant figures as this is the lowest of all the measurement taken. The uncertainty (line of worse fit line of best fit over line of best fit times by 100) of the graph is 48.7%. The uncertainty thought the measurement is + or 0.5mm or + or 0.15 sec. the final uncertainty is around 55% and it is very high due to the errors involved. The most unreliable data was the human error involved in the timer when timing the periods of the pendulum, also the ruler used to measure how far to swing back limits to data s accuracy to only plus or minus 0.5mm. The human error can be reduced by filming the experiment and use programs to analysis the swings. It is suggested that a video could be taken on each test and to be analysed by the program Logger Pro which will give a very accurate reading of the pendulum s motions. This will reduce the human error greatly because it does not require a human s reaction to correctly stop the stop watch.