:JIii' Al' 'CI ll ll'C II L \ ~

AIM :
Usi ng a sim ple pen dul um , plo t its L - T2 gra
ph an d use it to fin d the eff ect ive len gth
sec ond 's pen dul um . of

REQUIREMENTS :
Me tall ic spheric al bob wit h a hook, clam p stan d,
spl it cor k, fine ine xte nsi ble thr ead , ver nie r
stopclock and me tre sca le. cal lip ers,
THEORY:
A simple pendulum_consists of a heavy point mass HREAD
suspended from . a r1g1d ~upport with the help of a SPLIT CORK
• PIECES
weightless, flexible and mextensible string. These
requirement cannot be realized in practice . In practice
it consists of spherical metallic bob suspended from ~
rigid support. ~en taken to one side from the position
of rest and left, it executes periodic simple harmonic EFFECTIVE
vibrations. I= ST+ r
LENGTH
Time period of a body executing S.H. vibrations is
defined as the time taken by it to complete one vibration.
It is denoted byT. 0o ~
Frequency of a vibrating body is defined as the A--+-'"---/~3/
._0- -~- - - - s
number of vibrations completed by it in one sec. It is c ,, RADIUS
denoted by n .
Fig . 11 . A simple pendulum and its effective length.
1
n= T' i.e., nT = 1

Amplitude : The distance between the mean and the extreme position is called the amplitude.
The time period of the simple pendulum is measured with a stopwatch or stopclock.
The time period T of a simple pendulum of length L is given by •

T=21t t
where g is the acceleration due to gravity.
Length of a pendulum is defined as the distance between the point of suspension and the point of
oscillation. The point of oscillation is the e.g. of the bob.
Then L = length SO,
L
g=4n 2
T2
Second's pendulum is a pendulum whose time period is 2s. The length of a second's pendulum at a
place depends upon the val_ue of g at that place.

PROCEDURE:
(a) Find the vernier constant and zero er..:o_r of the vernier callipers. Determine the diameter of the given
pendulum bob in three different position's and find the mean diameter a:n,d then radius of the bob.
(b) Tie one end of the thread to the hook of the bob. Pass other end of the thread through the two split
half pieces of cork firmly in the clamp stand (refer fig . 11). See that cut of the cork is at right angle to
the edge of the table .
(c) :Place the stand on the table as shown in fig. 11 in such a way that the bob is just 1 to 2 cm above the
ground.
(d) Mark a line, with a piece of chalk, just below the pendulum bob and parallel to the edge of the table .
Mark a point just below the bob in equilibrium position and two other points A and B on opposite side
of it at a distance of nearly 5 cm from mean position. Smaller the distance, more accurate will be
the results. Start your observation with the length of 80 cm.
(e) Adjust the length of a thread below the cork piece so that sum of length of thread, length of hook and
radius of bob comes out to be exactly equal to 80 cm.
(/) Displace the pendulum bob from its mean position to the point A gently on the line parallel to the
edge of the table through a small distance is 2 cm and release it so that the bob starts vibrating.
 Ensure that the vibration is along the straight line AB and the bob does not spin along with oscillation.
Wait for a few seconds.
(J{) F'ind the lenst count of the stopwatch or stopclock. Afrer checking the stopclock start it when the bob
pnssej through the mean position. Count twenty vibrations and when after completin g 20 vibrations ,
tho bob passes through the mean position, stop the stopclock. Note the reading of the stop clock, This .
givos us the time of 20 vibrations . Repeat the observatio n for same length.
(11) increase the length of pendulum by 10 cm and again measure the time for 20 vibrations . In this
manner go on increasing the length in steps of 10 cm and measure the time for 20 vibrations till the
longth becomes 120 cm.
(,) Dividing the time obtained by 20, calculate the time period T of the pendulum in each case.
(J) Find the value of T 2 for various observatio ns.
(k) Plot a graph between L and T2 by taking L along x-axis and T 2 along y-axis. The shape of the graph is
aR shown in fig. 12.

OBSERVATIONS :
Vernier Constant of Vernier Callipers = ............... cm
Zero error of Vernier Callipers = ............... cm
(with proper sign)
Zero correction of Vernier Callipers = ............... cm
(with proper sign)
Diameter of the bob (i) ....... .... .... cm (ii) .. ............. cm
(iii) ............... cm
Mean observed diameter = ............... cm
Mean corrected diameter, D = ............... cm
. D
2 ................ cm
Mean value of radius of bob, r =

Least count of the stopclock/wat.ch = ............... .

S.No. Len,th of the Total effective Time for 20 vibration s Time period
thread with Length of
hook pendulum
t (s)
'
T= -(s)
20
~
(sl)
1 2 Mean Observed Corrected

1. 80cm
2. 90cm
3. 100cm
4. 110cm
5. 120cm
6. 130cm

W:42
CALCULATIONS :
Effe ctiv e leng th of the seco nd's pend ulum
For the second's pend ulum T = 2 sec
From the grap h betw een L and T2 find the leng th of pend ulum corresponding to T2 = 4 sec2
, ,
Length of second s pend ulum = .
·
········ ········
RESULT :
(i) Length of seco nd's pend ulum .
{ia) Graph betw een L and T is a strai ght line.
2 ,
y

PRECAUTIONS :
small. · ..
(,) The amp litud e of the vibr ation s shou ld be kept spin
endi cula r to the cut of the cork . Ther e shou ld be no
(ii) The pend ulum shou ld vibrat,e in a plan e perp · ·
for more accurat,e resu lts.
(ii,) Vibr ation s shou ld be in a verti cal plan e. chan ge
(iv) In each subs eque nt obse rvati on chan ge the
leng th by at leas t 10 cm so as to obta in a suffi cien t
'
in time . led in
(v) Note the time as accurat,ely as possible beca
use a smal l erro r in mea sure men t of Twi ll be doub
'
·,'
final resu lt. erro r.
(1•1.) The mini mum leng th of pend ulum shou ld
be 80 cm. A smal,ler l~ng thth an this can cause an
(vi,) St.ar t mea sure men t of time only after the
start of regu lar vibr ation.s, .

SOURCES OF ERROR :
(,) The strin g may not be inex tensi ble.
(ii) Poin t of susp ensi on may not be rigid .
(ii,) The amp litud e may not be smal l.
(iv) The bob may spin .
(v) The air cun ents may distu rb vibra tions .
(vi) The re may be erro r in coun ting.
(ui,) The st.opwatc_h may be inac cura te.
...the stop watc h-from the mea n posi tion.
(vii,) There may be dela y in start i~g and st.opping