Report Presentation

General Aspect:
A pendulum is a mass that is attached to a pivot, from which it can swing freely. This object is subject to a restoring force due to gravity that will accelerate it toward an equilibrium position. When the pendulum is displaced from its place of rest, the restoring force will cause the pendulum to oscillate about the equilibrium position. A basic example is the simple gravity pendulum or bob pendulum. This is a mass (or bob) on the end of a massless string, which, when initially displaced, will swing back and forth under the influence of gravity over its central (lowest) point. The regular motion of the pendulum can be used for time keeping, and pendulums are used to regulate pendulum clocks.

Introduction:
For the pendulum to be used for time keeping, a period of a complete oscillation, T must be known in order to calculate the total time which is given by the equation below: Total time = T x N Where: T is the period of a complete oscillation N is the number of complete oscillations. Hence, in this task we need to determine the period of a complete oscillation, T by finding the relationship of T with the object of the pendulum. The mass of the object of pendulum, m, angle of displacement, and the number of complete oscillations, N are kept constant throughout this task. Manipulated variable: length of spring, L Responding Variable: period of complete oscillation, T Constant Variable: mass of object of pendulum, m, angle of displacement, and Number of complete oscillations, N

Task Specification
Aim:
To find the period of a complete oscillation by finding the relationship between the period and the length of string.

Specify the task:

In this task, we will set up a pendulum with an object having mass, m = 1.0kg. The length of string, L is set up to be adjustable in order to find the influence of L to the period of pendulum, T. In this case, the angle of the displacement, is also set up to a constant which is between 10 to15 from vertical. Time is taken when the object starts to swing from the beginning and stopped when the object complete 20 oscillations. After that, the period of 1 complete oscillation is calculated by the equation below: T = t 20 Where: t is the total time calculated after 20 complete oscillations. 1

Problem-Solving
Procedure
Angle of displacement String

Object

1. A simple pendulum is set up by attaching an object to a string of length, l = 60cm. 2. The pendulum is set up in motion and the time taken, t, for 20 complete oscillations is measured. 3. The period, T s that is the time taken for one complete oscillation is calculated. 4. Step 1 to 3 are repeated using l = 55cm, 50cm, 45cm, 40cm, 35cm, 30cm, 25cm, 20cm, 15cm and 10cm. 5. The reading is recorded in a suitable table. 6. A graph of T/s against l/cm is plotted. The graph obtained is interpreted. Table:

l/cm 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0 40.0 45.0 50.0 55.0 60.0

t/s

T/s 0.67 0.82 0.95 1.06 1.16 1.25 1.34 1.42 1.50 1.57 1.64
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13.4 16.4 18.9 21.2 23.2 25.0 26.8 28.4 29.9 31.4 32.8

Comments based on the graph: 1. The graph shows that the rate of change of time, in respect with the length decreases when the length increases. 2. Based on the graph, T increases as l increases.

Findings
1) The relationship between period and length is given as:

l T = 2 g

or

l T = 4 g

( )

where g is the gravitational acceleration. Suggest at least 2 different pairs of variables for horizontal and vertical axes to obtain a linear motion. For each pair, plot the graphs and draw the lines of best fit manually and by using ICT. l By comparing the equation T = 2 g with Y = mX +c, we can get the vertical

axis (Y) and horizontal axis (X) to obtain linear relation. 2 i) Y = T, X = l , m = g will give a linear relation.

T/s 0.67 0.82 0.95 1.06 1.16 1.25 1.34 1.42 1.50 1.57 1.64

l /cm 3.2 3.9 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.3 6.7 7.1 7.4 7.7

Graph 1 - Graph of T against l

Graph of T against l
1.8 1.6 1.4 1.2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 0 2 4 l/cm

T/s

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4 ii) Y = T, X = l, m = g will also give a linear relation.

T/s 0.45 0.67 0.90 1.12 1.35 1.56 1.80 2.02 2.25 2.46 2.69

l/cm 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0 40.0 45.0 50.0 55.0 60.0
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Graph 2 Graph of T against l

Graph of T against l
3 2.5 2 T/s 1.5 1 0.5 0 0 10 20 30 l/cm 40 50 60 70

2 a) Estimate the gradient of each graph. Hence, write an equation relating period and length of each of the graph. For graph with Y = T, X l = Gradient of the graph = =

l
1.08 5.1

= 0.212 s cm The equation relating period and length of T and l is

T = 0.212 l
For graph with Y = T, X = l T Gradient of the graph = l 2.1 = 46.5 = 0.045 s cm The equation relating period and length of T and l is

T = 0.045 l
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b) Use the gradient of each graph to determine the respective value of the gravitational -2 acceleration, g m s . Comment on the values obtained. How do these values of g -2 compare with the accepted value of g on earth (9.807 m s )? Calculate the percentage error for each of the value of g obtained. Explain the difference. For graph with Y = T, X l = From:

T = 2

l g
2 g

(As T against l is plotted)

Therefore, Gradient = g

= 4 (0.212) -2 = 878.4 cm s -2 = 8.784 m s

To find the percentage error, Error Percentage Error = Actual Value x 100 % 9.807- 8.784 = x 100 % 9.807 = 10.43% For graph with Y = T, X = l From:

l T = 4 g

( )

(As T against l is plotted)

4 Therefore, Gradient = g g = 4 (0.045) -2 = 877.2 cm-2 s = 8.772 m s To find the percentage error, Error Percentage Error = Actual Value x 100 % 9.807-8.772 = x 100 % 9.807 = 11.80% Comments: - The value of the gravitational acceleration, g that we obtained from the experiment is -2 not accurate with the accepted value of g which is 9.807 m s - This is due to some technical errors that appear during the tasks and some environmental factor will also affect the result of the task. Explanation of the difference: i) Reaction time to record time for 20 complete oscillations using stopwatch varies each time. 9

ii) During determination of gradient, the points picked from the graph may not be accurate which also cause the inaccurate calculation. iii) The frictional force by air also contributes to the error during time recording. c) Use the graph with the least percentage of error in g to determine the length of the spring that will produce a complete oscillation in one second. Using: When T = 1, T = 0.212 l l = [1 (0.212)] = 22.24cm (least percentage of error)

3) A simple pendulum can be used as a device to measure time. Describe how you can use it to measure your pulse rate. We can calculate number of pulse, n, in 20 complete oscillations. The period of the pendulum is known so that we can calculate the total time, t, in 20 complete oscillations. Pulse rate can be calculated by the equationnbelow, Pulse rate = t For example, Assume that the period of the pendulum is 2s and the number of pulse calculated is 59 59 times, t = 2 x 20 Pulse rate = 2 x 20 -1 = 1.475 times s -1 = 88.50 times minute 4) If the length of the string is 4 times its original length, state the change in period, T s. Given that T = 2 When L = 4 lo,

l , let original length = lo and the original period = To , g lo To = 2 g 4lo T = 2 g lo T = 2 x 2 g

T = 2 x To * When the length of the string is 4 times its original length, the period will 2 times its original period.

Exploration
1. If a simple pendulum with a period of one second is set in motion on the moon, determine the new period of this pendulum. In order to find the new period of moon, we need to know the length of the string of the pendulum with period of 1s on earth. 10

l Using the equation T = 2 g

-2

When T = 1s, g = 9.807 m s 4 = 0.2484 m From here, we know that the length of spring is 24.84 cm 1 Since the gravitational acceleration on the moon is6 of the gravitational acceleration on earth, Using the equation T = 2 g -2 1 When l = 0.2484 m, g = x 9.807 = 1.6345 m s 6 0.2484 T = 2 1.6345 = 2.449 s

l = (1) x9.807

2. a) Investigate whether a simple pendulum will swing continuously in air. Explain your findings. Suggest the condition required for a pendulum to swing continuously. A simple pendulum will come to a stop eventually if let to swing in air. This is due to the existing air resistance that plays a role as frictional force due to the swinging of pendulum. The air resistance causes a small loss of energy during each swing and the pendulum will stop after all energy had lost to environment. In order for the pendulum to swing continuously, we must remove all air resistance that will act as the frictional force. To do this, we can suck out the air to prepare a state of vacuum. b) If a pendulum is made to swing in water, compare the time taken for this pendulum to come to a complete stop with the time taken by a pendulum swinging in air. Explain the difference. The time taken for the pendulum to come to a complete stop will be shorter in the water compare to air. The damping force (viscosity) of water is much higher compare to the damping force (air resistance) of air. This means that the frictional forces apply on the swinging pendulum will be higher in water causing it to come to a complete stop first. 3. Sketch the graphs on the same scale to illustrate the motion of a simple pendulum swinging i) in air ii) in water iii) in vacuum Compare and contrast the graphs.

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iii i

ii

In vacuum, we can see that the graph will be continuously in rhythm/periodically. We call this kind of graph simple harmonic motion (SHM). This shows that the pendulum swing continuously as no loss of energy in the vacuum. However, the graphs in water and air show non-continuously but still in rhythm motion. We call these kinds of graphs under-damped graphs. In this case the water show an extremely under-damped graph compare to air as the damping force of air is much smaller if compare to damping force of water. Hence this implies that the swinging of pendulum in air will last longer compare to the swinging in pendulum in water.

Conclusions:
The time for one complete swing (period) is proportional to the square root of the length. All the points for Graph period, T, against square root of the length lie on a straight line so the conclusion is very reliable over this range. It seems likely that the same trend would continue if the string was made longer. Shorter lengths look like they would also follow the same pattern although it gets more difficult to take the measurements as the time gets shorter. For very short lengths the trend may not continue and would be very difficult to measure. It is not possible to try lengths shorter than the diameter of the bob, for instance. A much smaller bob on a very fine and lightweight filament could be made and tested. From the task we also can find that the period of the pendulum does not affected by the angle of displacement, that is why we no need to set a constant angle of displacement throughout the experiment.

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