Del Mar

8th Grade Science

Name _______________________ Date __________ Per___

Goals - To develop the skills of a scientist

by reviewing the scientific method.

graphing with independent variable as x axis, and dependent variable as y axis
Introducing accuracy, reproducibility and significant figures

Problem
What affects the period of a pendulum?

period = the time a pendulum swings back and forth once

Materials
stand, string, washers, big paperclips, rulers, stop watch

Hypothesis
I think that the length of the pendulum will affect the period of

the pendulum by increasing the period as the length increases.

Therefore, my independent variable is length of the pendulum.
Independent variable = manipulated variable-what I am changing

My dependent variable is time it takes to swing.

Dependent variable = responding variable -what I am measuring

My controlled variables are: doing the same start height.

Controlled variables are everything I am keeping the same

Starting Data

Independent Variable

Starting Value

Incremental change

Length of pendulum

60cm

10cm

Dependent variable = the period of the pendulum (swing time)

Controlled Variables
Weight of bob

Value
17.6g

Angle of the drop

Height of the drop ( from floor)

90
127.5 cm

Experimental Data
Trial

Average time
for 5 swings (s)

The Period (s)

8.168 sec 8.716 sec

8.442 sec

1.6884 sec

50.0 cm

7.758

8.041 sec

7.8995 sec

1.5799 sec

40.0 cm

6.919 sec 6.686 sec

6.8025 sec

1.3605 sec

Time of 5 swings (s)

Independent
variable = length
of the pendulum
60.0 cm

2
3

Test 1

Test 2

(Average time for 1

swing)

30.0 cm

5.193 sec 5.88 sec

5.5365 sec

1.1073 sec

20.0 cm

4.211 sec 4.568 sec

4.3895 sec

0.8779 sec

Time per swing

Pendulum Lab
2
1.5

0.8779

1.1073

1.3605

1.5799

1.6884

Series1

0.5
0
0

10

20

30
40
50
Length Of The Pendulum

60

70

The period of a pendulum is the time it takes to swing back and forth. In this lab we
shorten the length of the pendulum to see if the length changes the time it takes for
the pendulum to swing. I think that the length of the string will increase/decrease the
time it takes pendulum to swing back and fourth every 2 tests we do. We set the
pendulum to 90 and if it went above that it would block the pendulum. We also
controlled the number of revolutions by seeing how long it took for it to turn two
times. My data shows that the time did decrease from 1.6884 seconds per revolution
to 0.8779 seconds per revolution as the length of the twine decreased by 10
centimeters. This supports my hypothesis and therefore proves my point.
I compared this information with other groups in my classroom and got the same
conclusion. Multiple answers further proved my hypothesis. The length of the
pendulum, the amount of friction, and gravity change the period of the pendulum. Me
and my class mates agreed on this conclusion. in conclusion the period of a pendulum
is affected by the length of the string.