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2. THEORETICAL BACKROUND
a) Simple Pendulum
When a simple pendulum swings through a small arc, it executes simple
harmonic motion of period T given by equation.
T =2
l
g
Where g is the gravitational field strength and l is the distance from the
suspension point to the center of the pivot point.
3. EXPERIMENTAL APPARATUS
4. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
Note and record data on each step.
Simple Pendulums
Steel and plastic balls are used separately in this experiment as follows:
1) Attach the cord to the steel ball at one end, and attach the other end to the
main frame. Record the length of the cord.
2) Displace the ball from its neutral position by an angle of your choice, and then
release it to oscillate freely. Measure and record the time required to complete
ten oscillations.
3) Adjust the cord length to a new value and repeat step-2.
4) Repeat step-3 Five more times so that eight pairs of l and T are recorded.
5) Replace the still ball with the plastic ball and repeat steps-1 through 4.
Trial
Mass
(g)
1
2
3
4
5
Length
(mm)
60
60
60
60
60
Angle
()
32.5
39.8
46.5
49.2
51.0
Time
(sec)
20
20
20
20
20
10.73
11.86
12.65
12.92
13.19
Trial
1
2
3
4
5
Mass
(g)
Length
(mm)
60
60
60
60
60
Angle
()
400
400
400
400
400
Time
(sec)
25
20
15
10
5
11.69
11.58
11.64
11.52
11.67
Keeping the same angle measure the period of a pendulum for five different lengths.
Trial
Mass
(g)
1
2
3
4
5
Length
(mm)
16
16
16
16
16
Angle
()
31.4
36.3
46.0
52.5
57.2
Time
(sec)
20
20
20
20
20
10.29
11.12
12.51
13.32
13.92
Trial
1
2
3
4
5
Mass
(g)
Length
(mm)
16
16
16
16
16
Angle
()
400
400
400
400
400
Time
(sec)
25
20
15
10
5
6. DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
a) What do we mean by Simple Harmonic Motion?
11.65
11.50
11.44
11.40
11.26
7. CONCLUSION
The conclusion from the data captured from simple pendulum:
Steel ball: what we have found in the experiment is that the steel ball is pulled by
gravity forces and that causes it to take long to complete an oscillation. This means
that the longer the length the more time it takes to complete oscillation.
And according to hooks law: the length is directly proportional to the time. The
displacement is proportional to the time.
There are errors that have occurred during the experiment, when taking time. The
stop watch did not really a line with the experiment due to human reaction time
error.
Plastics: air resistance played its part for plastic which caused systemic problem
As the angle decrease the time to complete the oscillation its slow.
This experiment has helps us understand simple harmonic motion using plastic ball
and steel ball. The relationship between displacement and time on a small mass.
For the steel ball that is length change and the time taken to complete a oscillation
Calculation
Steel ball
T =2
l
g
T =2
0.0325
9.81
= 0.3616 sec
Plastic:
T =2
0.4
9.81
= 1.26 sec