Example:

In an experiment to determine the acceleration of the free fall g the period T of a simple
pendulum was determined for various values of the l. The following results were obtained.

Length (m) 0.25 0.35 0.45 0.55 0.65 0.75

Time (s) 0.98 1.21 1.34 1.50 1.60 1.75

Plot a graph of T2 against l, and use it to obtain a value for g, with the associated uncertainty.

=== = 2
g

42
or, 2 = ( )
g

Comparing it with equation of straight line y = m.x + c; we have

42
y =T , 2
m= , l=x , c=0
g

Since,

( )
= ()
(2 )

2
()2 = ()
(2 )

1
2 = ( )2
1

l=x T T2 = y x.y x2 mx y-mx (y-mx)2

0.25 0.98 0.9604 0.2401 0.0625 1.0088 -0.0484 0.002343
0.35 1.21 1.4641 0.51243 0.1225 1.41232 0.05178 0.002681
0.45 1.34 1.7956 0.80802 0.2025 1.81584 -0.02024 0.00041
0.55 1.50 2.2500 1.2375 0.3025 2.21936 0.03064 0.000939
0.65 1.60 2.5600 1.6640 0.4225 2.62288 -0.06288 0.003954
0.75 1.75 3.0625 2.29688 0.5625 3.0264 0.0361 0.001303

( ) =
= = =
= 3 0.011629
12.0926 6.75893 1.675
 6.75893
Now, m= = 4.0352
1.675

Thus, equation of best fitted line is

y = 4.0352 x

Also,
1
2 = 0.011629
61

= 0.0023258

= 0.0482265

= 0.05

= 0.03726 , from eqn (ii)

= 0.04

42
Now, m=
g

or, g = 4 (3.14159)2/4.0352

= 9.7835 ms-2

Hence,

g = 9.78 0.04 ms-2

T2 Vs. l
4
3.5
3
y = 4.0352x
2.5
T2 (s2)

2
Series1
1.5
1 Linear (Series1)
0.5
0
0 0.5 1
l (m)