Physics Lab Report - Pendulum

Measuring Constant “g” Using a Simple Pendulum

Ryan SONG 17791 Lab Partner: Yuanjun (Andrean) Cai 18046

Aim
Determining the value of constant “g (ms -2)”, gravitational acceleration, by graphing the
relationship between the length of the pendulum (m) and the period of oscillation (s).

Quantitative Data
Figure 1: Table showing the effect of length (mm±0.5mm) of pendulum on time of
oscillation (s±0.2s) during the experiment

Time taken for 10 Oscillations

(s±0.2s)
Length
(mm±0.5mm) Trial 1 Trial 2
50 4.78 4.96
100 7.34 7.31
160 8.66 8.43
250 10.28 10.34
300 11.50 11.75
370 12.37 12.79
450 14.01 14.13
520 15.28 15.56
All data collected is
concordant and 600 15.63 15.96 used in
calculation and 690 16.81 16.72 analysis

Analysis
Figure 2: Table showing the processed data of the experiment
Length Length 4π²l Average
(mm±0.5mm (m±0.0005 (m±0.02m) of 10T* T ΔT T² %ΔT ΔT²
) m) (s) (s) (s) (s²) ² (s²) (s²)
1.97 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.02
50 0.0500 4.9 9 2 4 8.21
3.95 0.7 0.5 0.03
100 0.1000 7.3 3 4 5.46
6.32 0.8 0.7 0.03
160 0.1600 8.5 5 3 4.68
9.87 1.0 1.0 0.04
250 0.2500 10.3 3 6 3.88
11.84 1.1 1.3 0.05
300 0.3000 11.6 6 5 3.44
14.61 1.2 1.5 0.05
370 0.3700 12.6 6 8 3.18
450 0.4500 17.77 14.1 1.4 1.9 2.84 0.06
1 8
 20.53 1.5 2.3 0.06
520 0.5200 15.4 4 8 2.59
23.69 1.5 2.4 0.06
600 0.6000 15.8 8 9 2.53
27.24 1.6 2.8 0.07
690 0.6900 16.8 8 1 2.39
*T stands for period of oscillation
Figure 3: Graph showing the relationship between 4π 2l (m±0.02m) and period squared (s²±Δs²)

P2
P1
4π2l = 9.6611T2 P3

R2 = 0.9929
The uncertainty for period and period squared (T 2) is calculated in the following process:

∵ Δ10 T =0.2 s
Δ10 T
∴ ΔT = =0.02 s
10
∵ T 2=T∗T
ΔT ΔT 2∗ΔT
∴ % Δ T 2= ∗100 %+ ∗100 %= ∗100 %
T T T
e . g . For l=0.6000 m
0.02 0.02 2∗0.02
% ΔT 2 = ∗100 % + ∗100 %= ∗100 % ≈ 2.53 %
1.58 1.58 1.58

*Applied in Figure 2 Column 8 for %ΔT²

Sample calculations for figure 1 and figure 2

Trial 1+Trial 2 11.50+11.75

Average of 10 T for a 0.3000 mlong pendulum= = =11.63 ≈ 11.6 s ± 0.2 s
2 2
AVERAGE 10 T 12.6
T for a 0.3700 mlong pendulum= = =1.26 s ± 0.02 s
10 10
2 2
4 π l for a 0.5200 m long pendulum=4 π ∗0.5200 ≈ 20.53 m± 0.02 m

Process to determine constant “g” from the graph:

l
∵ Relationship between period (T) and length (l) is shown as: T =2 π

∴ If both sides of the equation are squared, 4 π 2 2

√ g
l=T ∗g is obtained after rearranging
2 2
4 π l=T ∗g is graphed in figure 3, the line of best fit (blue), as well as two error lines
(red and green) are drawn using excel

As shown in the equation of line of best fit P 1, the gradient of P1= m1 = 9.6611
(obtained using excel)

m1=9.6611

According to the graph, error line P 2 has the gradient of P2 = m2:

29.00−0.00
m 2= ≈ 9.9656
3.00−0.09

According to the graph, error line P 3 has the gradient of P3 = m3:

28.10−0.00
m 3= ≈ 9.3667
3.00−0.00
Uncertainty of gradients can be calculated:

|m3 −m2| |−0.5989|

∆ m= = =0.29945 ≈ 0.3
2 2
∵ g=gradient of line of best fit =m 1 , ∆ g=∆ m
∴ g=m1 =9.6611 , ∆ g=∆ m=0.3
∵ Δg is as precise as to one decimal place
∴ g should be rounded to one decimal place:

g1=9.6611 ≈ 9.7 m s−2

g1=9.7 m s−2 ± 0.3 ms−2

Conclusion
The result of the experiment is: g=9.7 m s−2 ± 0.3 m s−2

Percentage uncertainty of g:
0.3
∗100 % ≈3 %
9.7

Value of constant g published by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology):

ga =9.8 m s−2

|Expected value−Experiment value| |9.8−9.7|

Percentage Error ( % )= ∗100 %= ∗100 %=1.02
Expected value 9.8

Referring to the value published by the National Institute of Stfrandards and Technology,
the percentage error of the result is 1%, indicating that the result is accurate and
consistent with the literature value.
(Consider how to measure l and T so as to minimize errors)

More trials can be done in to increase the precision of the results and reduce the effect
of human error on the measurement of time in the experiment. In addition to methods
of reducing human error, I measured a total time of 10 periods of oscillation and divided
the final value to obtain the time of each period of oscillation. By doing this, the
uncertainty of the period of oscillation is reduced by factor 10, thus ensures the
experiment to have high precision and low error. If the number of oscillations timed is
increased, the uncertainty of time and period can be further minimized. For example,
instead of measuring the time it takes for 10 periods of oscillation, record the time it
takes for 20 periods of oscillation, and divide the value by 20 to obtain the time of each
period with a lower uncertainty.

∵ Δ 20 T =0.2 s
Δ 20 T
∴ ΔT = =0.01 s
20

Consequently, the uncertainty of T2 will be reduced.

During the experiment, the measurement for time started immediately after the
experimenter released the pendulum and stopped when 10 th period of oscillation
finished. However, it is hard to judge when is the beginning and end of the period of
oscillation. Hence, human error took place in the experiment. The human error can be
minimized by using digital apparatus in the experiment. For example, as shown in figure
4, the isochronous motion of the pendulum can be projected on a screen, a smart cart
can be applied to simulate the motion. By applying technology to the experiment, more
accurate and precise data will be collected and processed.

Even though the pendulum does not act in kind with the simple harmonic motion, the
beginning, middle, and end point of each period can still be measured by the smart cart,
in a more precise and accurate way.
Figure 4: diagram showing possible digital apparatus for measurements

Smart cart moving back and forth while simulating

Points Projected