FREE OSCILLATIONS FOR ONE DEGREE OF FREEDOM

Objective

The objective of this experiment is to analyze the influence of the parameters of a

simple pendulum and a mass-spring system on the frequency of its movement of free
oscillations. Specifically, in the simple pendulum the influence of the length of the
pendulum, its mass, and the amplitude of oscillation is studied. In the mass-spring
system, the influence of the mass and the stiffness of the spring is analyzed, determining
these parameters experimentally.

The natural frequency of a system of one degree of freedom without damping is

obtained from the corresponding equation of motion.

Study of the simple pendulum

The materials used are the following:

● support set (bases, rods, walnut)
● 2 balls with hook: one bigger and heavier ball and another smaller one.
● thread
● stopwatch
● tape measure
● angle conveyor.

Figure 1 shows a diagram of the assembled equipment.

Three different experiments will be carried out to study the influence of pendulum
length, ball mass, and oscillation angle, respectively.

Study of the influence of pendulum length

Use the thread so that the length of the resulting pendulum can be approximately that of
the values indicated in table 1. Attach one end of the thread to the hitch to the large ball
and the other end to the hook on the top of the support. Measure the actual length of the
pendulum, taking into account that you have to measure the distance from the end of the
support to the center of gravity of the ball.

Induce the movement of the pendulum by moving it from its equilibrium an angle
between 5º and 10º. Measure the time elapsed between 10 complete oscillations of the
pendulum, which will be 10 × T (the more periods are considered in the measurement,
the lower the error is when calculating a period). Record the period of movement T by
dividing by 10.

Study of the influence of the mass

Repeat the previous experiment with the smallest ball.

Study of the influence of the amplitude of oscillation

To obtain greater stability, use the smallest ball and a pendulum length that does not
exceed 30 or 40 cm. Measure the period as in previous procedures but using five
different starting angles, for example, 5º, 15º, 30º, 45º and 60º.

Study of the mass-spring system

The materials used are the following:

- support set (bases, rods, walnut)
- 2 springs: one stiffer (blue) and one less rigid (red)
- weight carrier of 20 g mass
- 8 weights of 10 g of mass each of them
- 5 weights of 20 g of mass each of them

Mount the device shown in the figure. Hang the red spring to which the offset must first
be set to zero, that is, you have to adjust the dynamometer so that, without any weight,
the measurement is 0. Hang the weight carrier 20 g and note the initial deformation of
the spring x0. From this moment on, add 10 g weights in 10 g to a total of 70 g and note
the deformation produced in each case. Measure the actual mass of each weight on a
scale before adding it, and write it down.
Move the mass of its static equilibrium so that it starts to vibrate and measure the
elapsed time to carry out 10 oscillations, so that you can calculate the period T of the
system, and therefore, the own pulsation ωn (in rad / s ).
Repeat the process with the blue spring. In this case, add dumbbells in pairs; add 30 g
each time, until you reach a total of 150 g. Do not forget to check each mass first.

REPORT

A report must be completed with a cover indicating the practice, the group number and
the names of the members of the group. The report must present an index of contents
and must be duly paged. The sections that the report must contain are the following:

Introduction: description of the objectives and the theoretical aspects of the practice.
Manipulation: description of the steps carried out throughout the practice.
Results: the sections described below must be answered.
Conclusions: analysis of the results obtained, relationship of the practice with what was
seen in the classroom, possible problems encountered throughout the practice, etc.

The sections that the results section should include are indicated below.

1. Analysis of the influence of the length of the pendulum

Record in table 1 the measured values of length l and period T, and complete the rest of
the columns. Use 4 significant figures. In the first column write down the actual length
that you measured. Compare the results of the theoretical and experimental frequency as
a percentage.
Construct a graph in which the length l is represented on the abscissa and the squared
period T2 on the ordinates. Perform a linear regression to determine the term R2. If you
consider that this value is close enough to the unit, from the slope of the regression line,
estimate the value of gravity g.

l (m) T (s) T2 (s2) 𝜔𝑛 (rad/s) 𝜔𝑛 (rad/s) difference (%)

experimental theoretical
0,70
0,60
0,50
0,40
0,30
Table 1. Measurements and calculations for the study of the influence of pendulum
length.

2. Analysis of the influence of the pendulum mass

Make a table like table 2, and compare in% the difference of the periods measured.
Discuss the result.

T (s) T (s) difference (%)

l (m) Big sphere Small sphere
0,70
 0,50
0,30

Table 2. Measurements and calculations for the study of the influence of the mass.

3. Analysis of the influence of the oscillation amplitude

To study the influence of the amplitude of the oscillation θ complete Table 3. In the
third column, the period measured in any of the cases is indicated with respect to the
period corresponding to the amplitude of 5º. The last column represents the difference
in percentage between the period measured for all cases with respect to the period
corresponding to the amplitude of 5º. Represents in a graph the relationship T(θ) / T (5º)
as a function of the angle θ. To what angle value can this relationship be considered
given by a straight line, that is, the period is independent of the amplitude of the
oscillation?

θ (º) T(θ) (s) T(θ) ∕ T(5º) 100×(T(θ) ∕ T(5º) ₋1) (%)

5
15
30
45
60
Table 3. Measurements and calculations for the study of the influence of the amplitude
of the oscillation.

4. Study of the mass-spring system

Complete a table like Table 4 for each of the two springs, red and blue. The first column
indicates the mass that is added (the measure with the scale, not the nominal), in the
second the applied force (the weight corresponding to those masses), in the third the
deformation of the measured spring, in the fourth the measurement of the vibration
period, in the fifth the natural angular frequency corresponding to that period, in the
sixth the theoretical natural angular frequency, and in the last, the theoretical-
experimental comparison of these frequencies. To calculate the theoretical frequency,
first determine the stiffness k of the springs by linear regression. To do this, graph the
force versus deformation (W₋x) in Excel, so that from the Hooke's law, the stiffness
constant k of the springs is obtained from the straight line regression. Discuss the
results.

m (kg) W (N) x (m) 𝜔𝑛 (rad/s) 𝜔𝑛 (rad/s) difference (%)

T (s) experimental theoretical
m1
m2
m3
...

Table 4. Measurements and calculations for the study of the mass-spring system.