Simple and Compound Pendulum

Prepared by;
Dr. Rajesh Sharma
Assistant Professor
Dept of Physics
P.G.G.C-11, Chandigarh
Email: drrajeshsharma@in.com
 Simple Pendulum
• Let the bob of the pendulum be displaced
through a linear displacement ‘x’ and
angular displacement  from its equilibruim
position O to A. 
I. When displacement x is taken: l
• At position A, the forces acting on the bob l

after resolving mg, are:

• (i) mg cos, the horizontal component
x
• (ii) mg sin, the vertical component A

• Since mg cos equals and opposite to the


tension T, hence they cancel each other. O
mgsin

• The net force acting on the bob towards its mg

mgcos

equilibrium = - mg cos = F.
• This force is called Restoring force
F  mg sin 
• If  is very small,
sin   
• Hence, F  mg
• But, from the figure we have, x  l
x
Or,  (1)
l

Therefore, F restoring force   mg

x
(Neglectin g - ve sign) (2)
l

Or,
F
restoring force per unit distance   mg
x l
Stiffness S  
mg
Or, (3)
l

Now, Acceleration a   F
mgx gx m
or, a 
ml l
We know, the time period of pendulum executing SHM is given by
 Displaceme nt x  
1 1 1
2
 xl  2
l 2
T  2    2    2  
 Accelerati on a    gx  g
 1
1 1 g 2
• Frequency    
T 2  l 
1 g
• Now,   2 or  2  4 2 2  4 2 
4 2 l
g
Or, 2  (4)
l

II. When the displacement  is taken:

• The torque acting on the pendulum
  Force  Perpendicu lar distance between th e bob and the point of suspension
Or,   mg sin   l  mgl sin 

d 2
If,   2 be the angular acceleration produced, then
dt
d 2
  I or   mgl sin   ml 2

2 dt 2
Where I = ml , is the moment of inertia of the bob about horizontal axis
passing through the centre of point of suspension
 d 2

• We have ml 2 2  mgl sin   0
dt
d 2 g
Or, 2
 sin   0
dt l
If  is very small then sin   
d 2
 g
We have,
2
  0
dt l
d 2
g
Or, 2
   (5)
dt l
d 2
Or, 2
   
dt  
Thus, the motion of the bob is SHM. 1
    l 2
The time period is given by T  2  2   2  
 d  g
 
g
1
2 
 dt 2

But,   2 or   2  
Or, 2 
g l (6)
l
Which is same as that given in eq.(4).
 Compound Pendulum
• Definition: A rigid body of any shape, mg
capable of oscillating about a horizontal
axis passing through it in a vertical plane S
is called a Compound Pendulum.
• Centre of Suspension: The point through 
which the vertical plane passing through
the centre of gravity of the pendulum
l
meets the axis of rotation.
• The distance between the point of
suspension and the C.G. of the pendulum
is called the length of the pendulum. l Sin
G’
• Equation of motion of the compound
pendulum: G
mg
• Let an arbitrary shaped rigid body of
mass m is capable of oscillating freely
about a horizontal axis passing through it
perpendicular to its plane.
• Suppose S be the point of suspension of the body and let G be the C.G. of
the body at a distance l from the point S. let  be the small angular
displacement of the body.
• Let G’ be the new C.G. of the body at this displaced position.
• The following forces are acting on the body in displaced position:
• (i) Weight of the body mg acting vertically downwards at G’.
• (ii) The force of reaction equal to mg acting vertically upwards at S.
• These forces constitute a Couple. This couple tends to bring the pendulum
back to its mean position.
• So, Moment of Restoring Couple
  mgl sin  (1)
The –ve sign shows that torque is directed opposite to the increasing
direction of displacement .

d 2
If dt 2
be the angular acceleration and I be the moment of inertia of the
pendulum about the axis passing through the point of suspension S.
• Then the restoring couple2 is given by
d
 I 2 (2)
dt
Now comparing Eq.(1) and (2), we get
d 2
I 2  mgl sin 
dt
d 2 mgl sin 
Or,  
dt 2 I

If the amplitude  is very small and hence sin   

d 2
 mgl
Therefore,
2
   (3)
dt I
The Eq.(3) is the Differential equation of the SHM.
mgl d
2
Since, is constant so, 2

I dt
i.e. The Angular acceleration is proportional to angular displacement.
Hence, the motion of the pendulum is SHM.
Time Period