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Pendulum Lab
Pendulum Lab
Pendulum Lab
Problem
What affects the period of a pendulum?
Materials
stand, string, washers, big paperclips, rulers, stop watch
Hypothesis
I think that the length of string will affect the period of
5. Release the bob gently, without pushing it. During a complete swing, the bob
will move from its starting position and back again. Your partner should time
5 complete swings.
6. Check your experiment for accuracy (have you accurately counted the swings? etc.)
and reproducibility (run the test again - did you get approximately the same answer?)
7. Once you are convinced your data is accurate and reproducible, record the time for 5
swings. Then divide that time by 5 to find the average time for one swing.
8. Repeat steps 5 -7, changing your independent variable. -Make sure you do not
change the values of your controlled variables and make sure your incremental change
is large enough.
Starting Data
Independent Variable
Starting Value
Incremental change
Length of String
Dependent variable = the period of the pendulum (swing time)
Controlled Variables
Weight of Bob
Value
14.6
62 cm
Experimental Data
Average time
for 5 swings (s)
7.8
7.95
1.59
7.5
7.2
7.35
1.47
36.8
6.4
6.7
6.55
1.31
31.8
6.2
6.4
6.3
1.26
26.8
6.3
5.8
6.05
1.21
Trial
Independent
variable = ______
46.8 cmb
8.1
41.8
Test 1
Test 2
Analyze and Conclude (note delete this section when turning in your assignment)
1.
2.
3.
4.
The period of the pendulum is the time it takes for the bob to swing from one side to the other, and back. In this lab we tested how
the length of the string would effect the time of period. I predicted that the length of the period would be longer as the length of the
string increased.
2
1.5
1.21
1.26
1.31
1.47
1.59
Time
0.5
0
20
25
30
35
40
Length of String
45
50