Physics 1 Lab | Expt.

# 1

Experiment No. 1:
To determine the acceleration due to gravity applying linear least square
regression method by using a simple pendulum.
1.1 Objectives:
The main objective of this lab is to determine the acceleration due to gravity in the lab with a
simple pendulum. Also to learn how the linear least square regression method can be used to
find the regression line for a set of data.

1.2 Prelab:
Student should read the lab manual and have clear idea about the objective, time frame and
outcomes of the lab.
1.3 Outcomes:
After completing this experiment student should be able to answer the following questions:

 What is acceleration due to gravity?

 How a simple pendulum can be constructed and what are its criteria?
 How linear least square regression method (LLSRM) can be used to find the regression
line? Why we need to learn it?
 How LLSRM method can be used to find slope and intersection for any number of data?
 How acceleration due to gravity can be calculated from the slope of the regression line?

1.4 Timing and Length of Investigation (Total 3 Hours):

 Lab Preparation (15 minutes):
Students will sit for the lab class with preparations and class attendance
will be taken.
 Lecture on Theory (30 minutes):
 Teacher will clarify the objective and theory of the experiment.
 Lecture on Procedure (15 minutes):
 Students will learn about the procedure of the experiment through a
video lecture.
 Experimental Work (90 to 100 minutes):
 A sample data table will be provided to students and teacher will clarify
every part of it.
 Students will do all the calculations, draw graphs in excel and complete
the result part.
 Post Lab Discussion (15 to 20 minutes):
 Teacher will summarize the total lab work and have a discussion with
the students related with the questions given in the outcomes part.
 Report Submission:
 After completing the lab reports students will upload their lab reports as
groups in teams in the same day.

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1.5 Theory:
The time period of small-angle oscillation of a simple pendulum (a metal bob attached by a
light string and suspended vertically from a fixed support) can be shown to be
L
T = 2π√
g
where L is the effective length (length from the point of suspension to the center of the bob)
and time period (time of one complete oscillation) of a simple pendulum, respectively in a
place where the acceleration due to gravity is g.

L
L

Figure 1.1: A swinging simple pendulum with an effective length L and amplitude θ.

The time period equation of a simple pendulum can be rearranged as

4π2
T2 = L
g
Comparing this equation with the state line equation that goes through the origin (y = mx) the
value of acceleration due to gravity can be determined by

4π2
g=
m
where m is the slope of the T2 vs L graph.

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For two types (independent and dependent) of variables x and y = f(x) the linear least square
regression method can be used for N number of data points to find the best fitted line
(regression line) as the fig. 1.2 shows.
y =f(x)

d6 d7

d5
d3 d4 y = mx + c
d2
d1

c
x
Figure 1.2: Way to get the best fitted line by finding the minimum value of D = d12 +
d22 + d23 + d24 + d25 + d26 + d27 according to the least square regression method. The
equation for the best fitted line is y = mx + c, where m is the slope and c is the
interception in the y axis. Here the number of data points is taken as N=7.

The formula for determining the slope of the regression line

(∑ x )(∑ y )
∑i xi yi − i i i i
N
m= 2 (slope equation)
(∑i x i)
∑i xi 2 −
N

and intercept c = y̅- m x̅, where x̅ and y̅ are mean value of x and y.
In the slope equation:
∑𝑖 𝑥𝑖 = 𝑥1 + 𝑥2 + 𝑥3 + 𝑥4 + 𝑥5 + 𝑥6 + 𝑥7 ,
∑𝑖 𝑦𝑖 = 𝑦1 + 𝑦2 + 𝑦3 + 𝑦4 + 𝑦5 + 𝑦6 + 𝑦7 ,
∑𝑖 𝑥𝑖 𝑦𝑖 = 𝑥1 𝑦1 + 𝑥2 𝑦2 + 𝑥3 𝑦3 + 𝑥4 𝑦4 + 𝑥5 𝑦5 + 𝑥6 𝑦6 + 𝑥7 𝑦7 , ,
(∑𝑖 𝑥𝑖 )2 = (𝑥1 + 𝑥2 + 𝑥3 + 𝑥4 + 𝑥5 + 𝑥6 + 𝑥7 )2,
∑ 𝑥𝑖2 = 𝑥12 + 𝑥22 + 𝑥32 + 𝑥42 + 𝑥52 + 𝑥62 +𝑥72
𝑖

1.6 Apparatus:
Metal bob, a piece of string, stand, clamp, meter scale and stop watch.

1.7 Procedure:
 Attach a light piece of string with the hook of the metal bob. Find the length L of the
pendulum with a meter scale from the point of suspension to the mid-point of the bob.
 Give a small angle (less than 10 degrees) swing to the pendulum. Find the time period,
T. To do it, measure the total time for 20 oscillations and divide it by 20. Repeat the
procedure for different lengths and record the data in table 1.1.
 Using the Linear Least Square Regression Method (LLSRM) find the regression line
and from the value of slope find g from the relation: slope = 4π2/g.
 Plot the same graph in Excel and also find the value of g from the equation of the graph.

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1.8 Experimental Data:

Table 1.1: Time periods T for different lengths L of the simple pendulum.
No. Effective
of Time for 20 Time period L.T2
Length T2 L2
Obs. Oscillations
t T = t/20 (cm.s2 )
L (s2) (cm2)
(s) (s)
(cm)
1

150

140

130

120

110

100

90

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1.9 Analysis:
Table 1.2: Finding the slope, m and intercept, c by using the linear least square
regression method.

2
N ∑ 𝑥𝑖 ∑ 𝑦𝑖 ∑ 𝑥𝑖 𝑦𝑖 ∑ 𝑥𝑖2 m c
(∑ 𝑥𝑖 )
𝑖 𝑖 𝑖 𝑖 𝑖

Equation:

A. The value of g using the LLSRM:

(∑ x )(∑ y )
∑i xi yi − i i i i
N
m= 2 =
2 (∑i xi )
∑i xi −
N

x i
840
x  i
 
N 7

y i
y  i
=
N

Intercept, c = y – mx =

4𝜋 2
Acceleration due to gravity by LLSRM, 𝑔𝐿 = 𝑚
=

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 Physics 1 Lab | Expt. # 1

B. The value of g from the graph of Excel:

Slope of the regression line, m =

4𝜋 2
Acceleration due to gravity by Excel, 𝑔𝐸 = 𝑚
=

C. Percentage of difference in g between Excel and LLSRM:

𝑔𝐸 ~ 𝑔𝐿
× 100 =
𝑔𝐸

1.10 Result:
Method Value of g (m/s2) Comment

LLSRM

Excel

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1.11 Resources:
For further understanding, students may go through the following resources:

 Fundamentals of Physics: Acceleration due to gravity (Chapter 13, page

360), Simple pendulum (Chapter 15, page 425-426)
 Video Link:
 Simple pendulum: 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02w9lSii_Hs
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJKEN43695k
 LLSRM: 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0T0z8d0_aY4
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1C3olrs1CUw

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