Pendulum Coursework.

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PENDULUM COURSEWORK

PLANNING

INTRODUCTION- Pendulum is an apparatus consisting of an object suspended by a fixed point so that it swings freely back and forth under the influence of gravity. Repeated motion of pendulum (to and fro) is called an oscillation. And the time taken for one full oscillation is called period. In this experiment the pendulum gains Gravitational Potential Energy or GPE, as the bob is being raised from its original hanging position. When the pendulum is at the top of its swing it is momentarily stationary. It has zero Kinetic Energy (KE) and maximum Gravitational Potential Energy (GPE) because it’s the highest point.

         As the pendulum falls thus moving downwards towards its original hanging point the gravitational potential energy is transferred to kinetic energy. The speed increases as the pendulum falls and reaches a maximum at the bottom of the swing. Here the speed and kinetic energy are a maximum and the gravitational potential energy is a minimum. As the pendulum rises the kinetic energy is transferred back to potential energy. The speed of the pendulum decreases and falls to zero as it reaches the top of its swing. Small amount of energy is lost due to air resistance as the pendulum swings.

     Pendulums are also beneficial in our day to day life for example its used in several kinds of mechanical devices such as grandfather clocks.

     

                   

AIM- investigating how to determine the value of acceleration due to gravity using simple pendulum in the laboratory

APPARATUS –

  • Stand
  • Metre ruler
  • Stop watch
  • Thread
  • One small ball
  • Two small pieces of wood – to hold thread in between them

PREDICTION- I predict that the length of the thread will affect the period of the pendulum. I believe that there is positive correlation between time and length of the pendulum. The longer the length of the thread the longer the time period of the pendulum. I can say this because if the string is longer, it will have to travel a greater distance, so the time period will be longer, but the gravitational acceleration will remain the same. I also predict that the value of acceleration due to gravity must be between 9.8m/s² to 10m/s².

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METHOD-I set up my simple pendulum like the one shown in the diagram. Firstly I took a piece of string 50cm long and attached securely a small bob at the end of the string.                

The thread is secured between the two halves of a split cork held securely in a clamp mounted on a stand. The length of the pendulum is carefully measured from the place where the thread emerges from the cork to the middle of the pendulum bob. This would ensure that the bob swings from ...

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