RYERSON UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS
LAB REPORT
FOR
PCS 125 SECTION 06
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TITLE OF EXPERIMENT: The Simple Pendulum
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EXPERIMENTER (full name and ID):
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AUTHOR OF THIS REPORT:
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EXPERIMENT PERFORMED ON (DATE): January 22, 2015
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REPORT SUBMITTED ON (DATE): January 25, 2015
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Objective
The objective of this lab was to determine the acceleration due to gravity by analyzing the
period of the simple pendulum using the concepts of simple harmonic motion..
Introduction and Background
Simple harmonic motion (SHM) is the motion of a simple harmonic oscillator, a periodic
motion that is neither driven nor damped. A body in simple harmonic motion experiences a
single force which is given by Hooke’s law; that is, the force is directly proportional to
the displacement x and points in the opposite direction.2 An ideal example would be the
pendulum which was used as a device to calculate the acceleration due to gravity.
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The period of the simple pendulum was used to determine gravity; the period is given by the
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equation:
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Where T is the period of the motion in s; g is the acceleration due to gravity in m/s2; L is
length of the pendulum in m.1
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A period is the time taken by the bob to complete one entire cycle and the length of the
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pendulum is measured from the fixed-top end of the pendulum to the centre of mass of the
bob. The period was counted visually and timed with the use of a timer. The five different
length of the pendulum were used to determine the acceleration due to gravity. Each attempt
with the five different lengths of the pendulum had three trials so that the results derived
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could be more accurate. With each trial the period for 10 periods was measured and then the
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time for 1 period was determined
Gravity was determined by plotting the graph of T2 vs. L. When the equations for the period
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of the pendulum is squared:
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T2= (4π2/g) L
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This equation, theoretically, graphs a line which passes through the origin and it can by
inspection that this is equation is similar to y=mx. 4π2/g becomes the slope of the line and
there fore after plotting the graph the slope of the line can be used to determine the
experimental value of gravity.1 An equation can be used to determine gravity which includes
slope as a part of the equation:
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g = 4π2/m
Procedure
Apparatus: Pendulum bob, retort stand, clamp, meter stick, string, digital stop watch.
Diagram of the experimental set-up
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A set-up very similar the illustration above was available to perform this experiment.
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1. The length of the pendulum was measured from the centre of the mass of the bob to
the point where the string is tied to the rope and the length was recorded in the
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observation table.
2. The pendulum was then gently raised to from an angle of about less than 10 degrees,
perpendicular to the retort stand.
3. A timer was used to track the time taken by the bob to complete ten complete cycles.
4. For each length of the pendulum step 2. was repeated two more times.
5. The time taken for each of the three trials was recorded in the observation table.
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6. Steps 1 – 5 were repeated for 4 other lengths of the pendulum
Observation Table
Table #1: Table of observations
Length of the pendulum (m) Trial # Amount of time for 10 cycles (s)
1 19.69
1 2 19.67
3 19.51
1 18.12
0.835 2 18.36
3 18.33
1 15.37
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0.60 2 15.27
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3 15.51
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0.445 2 12.98
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3 13.16
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0.33 2 11.42
3 11.23
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Calculations
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Table #2: Table of calculated figures
Length of Average time Time taken for 1 Time taken for 1 cycle
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pendulum (m) taken for 10 cycles cycle (s) squared (s2)
(s)
1 19.60 1.960 3.84
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0.835 18.27 1.827 3.34
0.60 15.38 1.538 2.36
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0.445 13.07 1.307 1.70
0.33 11.31 1.131 1.28
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Analysis & Graphs
Graph #1: Time Squared Vs. Length
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y = 3.9051x - 0.0006
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m = 3.9051
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The value of gravity can be determined using the equation:
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g = 4π2/m
g = 4π2/3.9051
g = 10.1 m/s2
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y = 3.82x
m = 3.82
The value of gravity can be determined using the equation:
g = 4π2/m
g = 4π2/3.82
g = 10.33 m/s2
Percentage deviation of the g from method 1 (graphing on the computer):
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Percentage deviation = x 100 %
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% deviation = [(10.1 – 9.8)/9.8] x 100 = 3.06%
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Percentage deviation of the g from method 2 (linear regression):
Percentage deviation = x 100 %
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% deviation = [(10.33-9.8)/9.8] x 100 = 5.4%
The value of acceleration due to gravity (g1) obtained through Method 1 is 10.1 m/s2 which
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has a 3.06% deviation from the accepted value of gravity (9.8 m/s2). On the other hand, the
value of acceleration due to gravity (g2) obtained through Method 2 is 10.33 m/s2 which as a
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5.4 % deviation from the accepted value of gravity (9.8 m/s2). The more accurate method of
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measuring gravity is Method 1 as the percentage deviation of that value is less than the
percentage deviation of the value derived from Method 2. Method 1 seemed to be more
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accurate since the graph and the best fit line are created by the computer hence removing the
space for human error in this calculation and data analysis.
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Conclusion
The values of gravity derived from both methods definitely fall in the expected range of 10%.
In this experiment there some factors that crucially affect the results within the data being
collected and the results obtained through calculations. A notable source of error lies with
regards to the reaction time of the individual who is attempting to record the time taken for
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the bob on the pendulum to complete ten cycles. The fact that the time the bob to reach ten
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cycles was recorded three times, gives room for the recording individual to have his/her
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reaction speed to the end of each cycle vary from time to time. Another source of can occur
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as the amplitude of where the pendulum starts oscillating; the string which was attached to
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the clamp was not in a fixed position which allowed the string to move along the length of
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clamp. Each time the pendulum was released to enter simple harmonic motion the chances of
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it having the ideal conditions could have been damaged possibly due to the reason that the
motion starts from different amplitudes each time at random, and as a result that could have
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changed the time taken to complete ten cycles. The string when in motion seemed to stretch
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minutely creating another from of error. The retort stand which was propped up on the table
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was not fixed or stable; it seemed to shake more and more as the length of the pendulum
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increased, and it wobbled more in the first few cycles compared to the last few cycles thus
the error in this part of the experiment occurred at random which in turn severely affected the
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value of acceleration due to gravity being calculated. A number of steps can be taken in order
to reduce the error in this experiment. The retort stand can be fixed or clamped onto the table.
A photo gate timer can be used to monitor the time taken to complete 10 cycles. A fixed end
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could be created for the pendulum and a non-stretchable material like a thing metal wire
could be used as a string which would avoid any chances of stretching.
Reference
1- PCS125 Lab manual. The simple pendulum; Ryerson Faculty and staff.
2 - [Link]
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