Experiment 6

The Simple Pendulum

November 11, 2016
Group 2
Leader: Abarca, Ronel Wynlor D.
Members: Lopez, Jomari Nazarene D.
Palmero, Miguel Alberto H.
Reyes, Zachary Raphael P.
Talao, Raphael Luis G.

Abstract
The simple pendulum which consists of a particle with mass m, whereas in this experiment
are metals, suspended from one end to of a string with negligible mass and length L that is fixed
at the other end, depicts the type of motion known as simple harmonic motion; the projection of
uniform circular motion on a diameter of the circle in which the circular motion itself occurs. Over
4 centuries had passed when Galileo Galilee claimed that the period of the simple pendulum
depends only on the length of the pendulum. In this experiment, the relation between amplitude
and period, mass and period, and length and period are investigated. It was found that greater
amplitude, and length makes the time it takes the pendulum to complete 1 cycle longer. The mass
does not affect the period of the pendulum; this is justifiable by using Newtons second law of
motion where F=ma, in this situation acceleration is constant which is due to the pull of gravity
which is 9.8 m/s2 and as you can see if mass is increased, so will the force but not acceleration
nor the time over which acceleration occurs.

Question and Answer

1. Using your groups data obtained from the experiment, graph the length of pendulum
(x-axis) against the square of its period (y-axis). Determine the relationship that exists
between the length of a pendulum and the square of its period.
*The groups data sheet is reported to be missing, either it was left on the laboratory room, left
with maam Melinda after it was checked, or dropped by one of the members. However, each member is
sure that no one had kept the data sheet so either the first two possibilities might have occurred. The
main author had neither held the data sheet after being checked. Nonetheless, data was tried to be
recalled, values are estimated, and with the aid of the data from other groups, the following data was
used to arrive at the graph formulated (below the table of data):

Length(cm) Period (s) Square of period (s2) Experimental value of Acceleration (m/s2) %Error
80

1.77

3.1329

1008.103731

2.867727664

60

1.55

2.4025

985.9380372

0.605922164

40

1.27

1.6129

979.0712937

0.09476595

20

0.91

0.8281

953.4742722

2.706706919

Length of Pendulm against Square of Period

3.5

3.1329

Square of Period (s2)

3
2.4025

2.5
2

1.6129

1.5
0.8281

1
0.5
0
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Length of Pendulum (cm)

From the graph, the relationship between the length of the pendulum and the square of
the period of the pendulum is observed to be linear.
2. What are the factors affecting the period of a simple pendulum?
The factors affecting the period of a simple pendulum is the amplitude and the length of
the pendulum. Mass has no effect on the period as seen on Newtons second law of motion
where F = ma and a is constant which is equal to 9.8 m/s2 (the acceleration brought by the
pull of gravity) whereas when mass is increased, the force is also increased but the
acceleration remains the same so is the time over which the acceleration occurs. For every
object, no matter what mass it has, the acceleration brought by gravity will always be the
same.
3. What must you do to the length if a simple pendulum so that its period is doubled?

The period of the pendulum can be approximated by the equation = 2 and we

know the relation of T to L which is so when T is doubled the relationship becomes

2 2 where 2 is equal to 4. Hence to double the time it takes the pendulum to

complete one cycle, the length of the pendulum must be increased four times.
4. Determine the acceleration due to gravity in a location where a simple pendulum 1.50
m long makes 100 vibrations in 246 seconds.

1
1
1
=
=
= 2.46
100

246

4 2
=
2
(39.49)(1.50)
=
(2.46 )2
= 9.79 / 2
Therefore, the acceleration due to gravity of a simple pendulum 1.50 m long
making 100 vibrations in 246 seconds is 9.79 m/s2.