THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PERIOD AND LENGTH

OF A PENDULUM

STUDENT NAME

RONLY MISSON

UITM NUMBER

2011468206

GROUP

I1

LECTURE NAME

ENCIK MOHD HUZAIFAH BIN YUSOFF

DATE

23 JULY 2011

DATE SUBMIT

5 AUGUST 2011

OBJECTIVE
TO INVESTIGATE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERIOD AND LENTH OF
PENDULUM

THEORY
The period of a pendulum are not depending on the mass of the pendulum or the amplitude.
Following equation shows that, the period, T have relationship upon the length.

T =2

Where:

l
g

T = period (s), l = length (M), and g = gravitational constant (m/s2)

APPARATUS:
1. Textbooks
2. A 20 cm string or rope
3. A table
4. A stopwatch
5. A weight as pendulum

Figure 1

PROCEDURE OF THE EXPERIMENT

1. Tie the sting to the chosen pendulum
2. Suspend the pendulum over the edge of the table so that the length of the pendulum as shown in
figure 1
3. Pull the weight back and let the pendulum start swinging. It is convenient and sufficient to
measure time/ period for 20 cycles.
4. Let the pendulum start swinging before do the timing of the 20 cycles; in other
5. Then stop the pendulum and restart it, but this time pull it back only 3 cm initially so it is
swinging through a much shorter arc. Repeat step 3.
6. Then stop the pendulum and restart it, but this time pull it back only 8 cm initially so it is
swinging through a much shorter arc. Repeat step 3.
7. Using the data collected in step 3 and 4, prepare a table of period and length. Make a
well-labeled graph of period vs. length using MS Excel. Use S.I units.

RESULT

THEORETICAL DATA
Length of rope (m)
Period (s)
0.12
13.88
0.17
16.54
0.20
17.94
Table 1: the length and period for 20 complete cycles

EXPERIMENTAL DATA
Length of rope (m)
Period (s)
0.12
14.36
0.17
16.84
0.20
18.25
Table 2: the length and the period for 20 complete cycles

Length of rope (m)

Period (s)
0.12
0.718
0.17
0.842
0.20
0.913
Table 3: the length and period for 1 complete cycle

ANALYSING DATA (for theoretical calculation)

From the equation, T = 2

l
g

When l = 0.2 m,

T = 2

0.2
9.81

,T = 0.897 s

When l = 0.17 m, T =2

0.17
9.81

,T =0.827 s

When l = 0.17 m, T = 2

0.17
9.81

,T = 0.694 s

For 20 complete cycle: time x 20

T = 0.897 x 20 = 17.94 s
T = 0.827 x 20 = 16.54 s
T = 0.694 x 20 = 13.88 s

ANALYSING DATA (experimental calculation)

Period for 1 complete cycle = period for 20 complete cycle

20

COMPARATION

Theoretical

Experiment

Period (s)
13.88
16.54
17.94

Period (s)
14.36
16.84
18.25

Length (m)
0.12
0.17
0.20

Percentage error of the period

Percent error = fractional error x 100

When length, l = 0.20 m,
True error = 18.25 17.94 = 0.31 s
Percent error =

0.31
17.94

x 100

= 1.73
When length, l = 0.17 m,
True error = 16.84 16.54 = 0.30 s
Percent error =

0.30
16.54

x 100

= 1.81
When length, l = 0.12 m,
True error = 14.36 - 13.88 = 0.48 s
Percent error =

0.48
13.88

= 3.46

100

GRPAH
GRAPH OF THE PERIOD, (s) AGAINST LENGTH, (m)
1

0.9

0.8

0.7

0.6

period (s)

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
0.12000000000000002

0.17
length (m)

0.2

DISCUSSION
1. From the graph, the periods of pendulum are increase as the length of pendulum increase.
2. From the experiment, we know that the periods of the swinging pendulum are
independent from the mass of weight. The period of pendulum is depending to the length
of the rope. The increases in the length, the period also become increase.
3. To avoid the parallax error, the experiment must be carried out without the existence of
win that can influence the swinging and the period of pendulum. So, the experiment can
be doing in the closed placed.
4. To calculate the percentage error, the value reading from the experiment is minus with the
true values the data. This step is called as true error. The true error then divided by the
true value as a fractional error then times whit 100

to get the percentage error reading.

CONCLUSION
In this experiment, the period is not depending on the mass of the pendulum or the amplitude.
So, the period of pendulum are depend on the length of pendulum. If the length of pendulum is
increase, the period of pendulum also increase.

REFFERENCES

1. www.pendulum.com
2. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/pendulum
3. college physics (third edition)