Pendulums!

L earning Goals:
 Students will understand what affects the period of a pendulum.

B ackground:

Q uestion: Mass, length, pullback angle. What variables affect the period (swing time)
of
a pendulum?

P rediction: The mass will be the variable that affects the period of the pendulum.

P rocedure:
1. Open the internet browser and start the Pendulum Lab simulation at
http://phet.colorado.edu/simulations/sims.php?sim=Pendulum_Lab

2. Experiment with the simulation to determine what variables affect the period
(swing time) of a pendulum.

W hat did you find out?

With the simulation it can be shown that the variable that affects the period of the
pendulum is the length.
Pendulums!
Length vs Period
L earning
Goals:
 Students will understand what affects the period of a pendulum.
 Students will construct a graph and analyze data.

Q uestion: How does the length of a pendulum affect its period?

H ypothesis: The length will affect the swing time

P rocedure:
1. Open the internet browser and start the Pendulum Lab simulation at
http://phet.colorado.edu/simulations/sims.php?sim=Pendulum_Lab

2. Design a controlled experiment that determines how pendulum length affects

period time.

3. Using the photogate timer, record the period time (round to 0.01) for 5 different
pendulum lengths.

4. Graph pendulum length vs period time. Analyze your data, write your conclusion,
and answer the questions.

D ata
Controls:

Pendulum Length (m) 0,10 0,15 0,20 0,25 0,30

Period Time (sec) 0,65 0,79 0,90 1,01 1,10
 C onclusion

It can be concluded that the oscillation time of the pendulum depends on the variable length.

Q uestions
1. What is the dependent variable in this experiment? Explain.

Answer: The length because the period depends on this variable

2. What is the independent variable in this experiment? Explain.

Answer: The mass because it has no influence on the period

3. What are the controls in this experiment? Explain.

Answer: The variable length that is the objective to evaluate.

Pendulums!
Mass vs Period
L earning
Goals:
 Students will understand what affects the period of a pendulum.
 Students will construct a graph and analyze data.

Q uestion: How does the mass of a pendulum affect its period?

H ypothesis: It will not affect the period at all.

P rocedure:
1. Open the internet browser and start the Pendulum Lab simulation at
http://phet.colorado.edu/simulations/sims.php?sim=Pendulum_Lab

2. Design a controlled experiment that determines how mass affects period time.

3. Using the photogate timer, record the period time (round to 0.01) for 5 different
pendulum masses.

4. Graph pendulum mass vs period time. Analyze your data, write your conclusion,
and answer the question.

D ata
Controls:

Pendulum Mass (g) 10 20 30 40 50

Period Time (sec) 4.5 5.8 7.2 8.20 8.50
C onclusion

Q uestions

1. What is the dependent variable in this experiment? Explain.

Answer: The mass that is the variable to evaluate.

2. What is the independent variable in this experiment? Explain.

Answer: The length that is not being evaluated.

3. What are the controls in this experiment? Explain.

Answer: The variable of the mass that is the element to study.

Pendulums!
Pullback Angle vs Period
L earning
Goals:
 Students will understand what affects the period of a pendulum.
 Students will construct a graph and analyze data.

Q uestion: How does the pullback angle of a pendulum affect its period?

H ypothesis: The period will increase.

P rocedure:
1. Open the internet browser and start the Pendulum Lab simulation at
http://phet.colorado.edu/simulations/sims.php?sim=Pendulum_Lab

2. Design a controlled experiment that determines how pendulum pullback angle

affects period time.

3. Using the photogate timer, record the period time (round to 0.01) for 5 different
pendulum pullback angles.

4. Graph pendulum length vs period time. Analyze your data, write your conclusion,
and answer the questions.

D ata
Controls:

Pullback angle (o) 30 45 60 75 90

Period Time (sec) 2,5 2,55 2,64 2,75 2,9
C onclusion

The pullback angle slightly affects the period.

Q uestions
1. What is the dependent variable in this experiment? Explain.

Answer: The pullback angle that is the variable to evaluate.

2. What is the independent variable in this experiment? Explain.

Answer: The period that is not being evaluated.

3. What are the controls in this experiment? Explain.

Answer: The variable of the pullback angle that is the element to study.

Pendulums!
Kinetic vs Potential Energy
L earning
Goals:
 Students will understand what affects the period of a pendulum.
 Students will construct a graph and analyze data.

Q uestion: How does the pullback angle of a pendulum affect its period?

H ypothesis: It will be minimally affected

P rocedure:

5. Open the internet browser and start the Pendulum Lab simulation at
http://phet.colorado.edu/simulations/sims.php?sim=Pendulum_Lab

6. Design a controlled experiment that determines how pendulum pullback angle

affects period time.

7. Using the photogate timer, record the period time (round to 0.01) for 5 different
pendulum pullback angles.

8. Graph pendulum length vs period time. Analyze your data, write your conclusion,
and answer the questions.

D ata
Controls:

Pullback angle (o) 10 15 20 30 40

Period Time (sec) 1,5 1,56 1,57 1,58 1,59
C onclusion

As suggested in the hypothesis, the retreat angle minimally affects the period.

Q uestions

4. What is the dependent variable in this experiment? Explain.

Answer: The pullback angle that is the variable to evaluate.

5. What is the independent variable in this experiment? Explain.

Answer: The period that is not being evaluated.

6. What are the controls in this experiment? Explain.

Answer: The variable of the pullback angle that is the element to study.
Pendulums!
Pullback Angle vs Period
L earning
Goals:
 Students will understand what affects the period of a pendulum.
 Students will construct a graph and analyze data.

Q uestion: How does the pullback angle of a pendulum affect its period?

H ypothesis: The period will increase.

P rocedure:
9. Open the internet browser and start the Pendulum Lab simulation at
http://phet.colorado.edu/simulations/sims.php?sim=Pendulum_Lab

10. Design a controlled experiment that determines how pendulum pullback angle
affects period time.

11. Using the photogate timer, record the period time (round to 0.01) for 5 different
pendulum pullback angles.

12. Graph pendulum length vs period time. Analyze your data, write your conclusion,
and answer the questions.

D ata
Controls:

Pullback angle (o) 30 45 60 75 90

Period Time (sec) 2,5 2,55 2,64 2,75 2,9
C onclusion

The pullback angle slightly affects the period.

Q uestions

7. What is the dependent variable in this experiment? Explain.

Answer: The pullback angle that is the variable to evaluate.

8. What is the independent variable in this experiment? Explain.

Answer: The period that is not being evaluated.

9. What are the controls in this experiment? Explain.

Answer: The variable of the pullback angle that is the element to study.