Analysing the relation between length of a

pendulum and average time for one

oscillation
Aim: to investigate how the period of a pendulum is affected by its length.

Method: (It is worth noting that the experiment was carried out as a class with six
groups of 2 people each. Each group carried out two different lengths, with the
exception of the groups testing the two largest lengths 180 and 200 cm who only
tested one length. My partner and I measured the time taken for pendulums of 140cm
and 160cm)
- Using an electronic balance, measure the mass of the washer.
- The total mass should be 100.0g. If the bob weighs less than this, add plasticine
until the total mass equals 100.0g.
- Tie the washer to a piece of string and attach the free end of the string securely
to the clamp stand.
- Measure the length of the string from the top of the clamp to the centre of the
washer using a meter ruler.
- Adjust the length so that it is the length required for you and your partner.
- Holding a protractor in front of the clamp, pull the bob of the pendulum so that
the string now forms an angle of 20 to the vertical.
- Keeping the string tight, release the bob.
- Start the watch when the bob reaches the end of one swing and then time for 10
complete oscillations.
- Repeat steps 6 to 8 four more times.
- Record results.

Variables: The control variables are as following:

- Mass of bob (100.0g)
- Angle of release (20)
- Shape and material of bob (flat metal disk with a bit of plasticine)
The dependent variable is the period of the pendulum.
The independent variable is the length of the pendulum.

Results:

Average Time
Taken for 10
Length of Pendulum/m Time taken for 10 oscilations /s oscillations
0.001 m 0.1 s
0.200 9.5 9.6 9.5 9.5 9.6 9.5
0.400 13.0 13.2 13.4 13.2 13.3 13.2
0.600 16.3 16.5 16.4 16.4 16.4 16.4
0.800 18.9 18.7 18.8 18.7 18.8 18.8
1.000 20.9 21.0 21.1 21.0 20.9 21.0
 1.200 22.8 22.6 22.8 22.7 22.6 22.7
1.400 24.1 22.0 21.5 21.8 21.7 22.9 22.0
1.600 23.7 23.5 23.1 23.8 23.4 23.5
1.800 26.6 25.8 26.3 26.0 26.1 26.2
2.000 28.8 28.9 28.9 28.8 28.8 28.8

Length of Average
Period2/s2 % of
Pendulum/m Period/s
Uncertainty % of uncertainty uncertainty Uncertainty in
2
0.001 in period/s in period in period period2/s2
0.200 9.5 0.1 1.05 90.25 2.11 1.90
0.400 13.2 0.3 2.27 174.24 4.55 7.92
0.600 16.4 0.2 1.22 268.96 2.44 6.56
0.800 18.8 0.2 1.06 353.44 2.13 7.52
1.000 21.0 0.2 0.95 441.00 1.90 8.40
1.200 22.7 0.3 1.32 515.29 2.64 13.62
1.400 22.0 1.4 6.36 484.00 12.73 61.60
1.600 23.5 0.6 2.55 552.25 5.11 28.20
1.800 26.2 0.8 3.05 686.44 6.11 41.92
2.000 28.8 0.1 0.35 829.44 0.69 5.76
 As we can see, the equation relating the period of a pendulum to its length is found in
the first graph:
T= 9.4381L + 9.8219

Here, T represents the time taken for 10 oscillations and L represents the length of the
pendulum. However, the trend line that gives us such equation is not very
representative since the results seem to curve and have a dent at the result for 1.400
meters. Therefore, the line does not touch or passes through all the points or even near
most of them. To fix this, we squared the time in order to make the results fit into a
straight trend line. This time, the equation obtained was:
T2 = 367.29L + 35.513

This new equation seems more apt to relate the time taken for ten oscillations of a
pendulum to take place with its length. In order to obtain the equation for the time of
one complete oscillation, we must divide the previous equation by ten:
T2 = 36.729L + 3.5513

Lets compare our resulting equation with the ideal one. The ideal equation relating the
period of a pendulum and its length is (according to
http://www.gleuenberger.com/clocks/pendulum.htm):
Here:
T=period(timeforonefullswing)inseconds

=theconstantpi,3.14159
L=lengthofthependulumarm
g=accelerationduetogravity:9.81ms2

Aswecansee,thisequationisnothingliketheoneweobtainedfromourresultsand
graph.However,letstestbothequationsandseeiftheresultsarealike.LetL=2.5m.
Usingourequation:
T2=(36.729*2.5)+3.5513
T=95.37381/2
T=9.766seconds

Ifweusetherealequation,weobtain:
T=2*3.14159*(2.5/9.81)1/2
T=3.172seconds

So,fromthiswecanseethatourequationiscompletelywronginrelationtothe
equationfromthegluenbergerwebsite.

Evaluation:Ourresultingequationturnedouttobecompletelywrong.However,this
isduetomainly2causes:
Thefirstreasonwasourfaultyresults.Wecanclearlyseefromtherawdata(andeven
theprocesseddata)thattheresultsobtainedwerenotinaccordancewitheachother
(hencetheapparenttwosetsofdataformedatthedentinthemeasurementforthe
1.400mlength). Thiswasprobablyduetomanyfactors. Themainonewouldbe
simplehumanerror.Whilstmeasuringthetime,theresponsetimeofeachindividual
variesandsodotheresultsobtained.Eventhoughwetrieditfivetimesforeachlength,
theerrormighthavebeensystematicbothforthereactiontimeofthepersontakingthe
timeortheforcewithwhichthebobwasreleased.Differentpositionsinthelabcould
havereceivedmorewindthanothers(beingnearanopendoor,forexample).Also,the
lengthsofthependulumstringswouldnothavebeenperfectandthiswouldalsovary
theresults.Eventhoughthemassofthebobdoesnotaffecttherateofthependulum,
wediduseplasticineinorderforusalltohavethesamemassofbob.Thisplasticine
wouldvaryinshapefromgrouptogroupandthusthewindresistancewouldchangefor
eachgroup,affectingtheresults.
Theotherreasonforourresultingfaultyequationcouldbethefactthatwenever
acknowledgedtheeffectofgravityonthependulumandjustbasedourequationona
graph.Sincethemovementofapendulumisdirectlyrelatedtotheforceofgravityit
experiences,itwasamistaketooverlooksuchanimportantfactor.
By:AlejandroMendozaDazdeLenYr12