Palestine Polytechnic University

College of Engineering

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Vibration Lab

Compound pendulum

Ahmad Hammad 175005

Mohammad Muammar 175054

March 8, 2020
 summary:
Any swinging rigid body free to rotate about a fixed horizontal
axis is called a compound pendulum or physical pendulum.

In this experiment, we studied the compound pendulum and his

properties and his motion by applying the general equation of
motion to calculate the experimental value of the acceleration due
to gravity. and to calculate the radius of gyration (k) which is the
radial distance to a point which would have a moment of
inertia the same as the body's actual distribution of mass.

 Objectives:
1. To calculate the radius of gyration.
2. To calculate the experimental value of the gravity.

 Method :
Any swinging rigid body free to rotate about a fixed horizontal
axis is called a compound pendulum or physical pendulum. The
appropriate equivalent length for calculating the period of any
such pendulum is the distance from the pivot to the center of
oscillation. This point is located under the center of mass at a
distance from the pivot traditionally called the radius of
oscillation, which depends on the mass distribution of the
pendulum. If most of the mass is concentrated in a relatively small
bob compared to the pendulum length, the center of oscillation is
close to the center of mass.
The Radius of gyration or gyradius of a body about an axis of
rotation is defined as the radial distance to a point which would
have a moment of inertia the same as the body's actual distribution
of mass, if the total mass of the body were concentrated (1).

To calculate the radius of gyration we will apply the general

equation of motion on the Compound pendulum as shown .

̈ (1-1)

But Jo for the system is given by :

J = m (h2 + k2) (1-2)

By substitution equation (1-2) in equation (1-1), assuming (θ) is

relatively small which mean sin (θ) = θ, we get the equation of
motion as:

̈ (1-3)

Where m is the mass of the pendulum, h is the distance between

center of gravity and center of rotation, θ is angle of inclination, J
the mass moment of inertia, K is radius of gyration and g is the
gravity acceleration.

h
L

Figure (1-1)

But ωn2 is the θ coefficient.

and ωn = √ = 2π/ (1-4)

In this experiment, we use the meter to define the required length

each time, after placing the pendulum in equilibrium. then we
push the pendulum with a relatively small angle called theta ().
then we measure the time for twenty cycles (T). we repeat this
step for each length as required in Table (1-1). After that we
calculate the time for one cycle to substitute it in equation (1-4)
with the formula:
 

After that we record the data in Table (1-1), and use the slope of
the line that represents the relation between ( ) and ( ) to find

( ), while the shifted value ( ⁄ ) does not change the slope

so we can ignore it, and the slope is given by :


(1-5)

Also we calculate (K), the radius of gyration, by taking the value

of ( ) when ( ) equal zero. then the relation will be :

 (1-6)
 Results :

we entered the results that we measured and computed in this

experiment in Table (1-1).

A (m) h (m) T (20) (s)  (s) 2h h2

0.3 0.302 28.03 1.4015 0.582 0.0912
0.4 0.321 27.88 1.394 0.623 0.103
0.6 0.368 29.10 1.455 0.779 0.1354

We show the relation between 2h and h2 in graph (1-1) to use this
relation to determine g and k.

0.8

0.6

2h
0.4

0.2

0
0 0.05 0.1 0.15

h2


Slope = (0.779-0.623) / (0.135-0.103) = 4.8.
 Using equation (1-5) we calculate the acceleration of
gravity.(g)=8.22m/s2.

We calculate the radius of gyration using equation (1-6), and

taking 2h=0.582. then k = 0.364 m .

 Discussion:
There are many factors that influence the error both in readings
and apparatus set up. In order to reduce these errors, some
consideration has to be taken to improve the experiment, so better
performance can be obtained, hence making this experiment a
success. the area where the lab is performed should be a closed
set so that no blowing winds will affects the pendulum swing.
Other than that, the set up for the experiment must be reliable and
suitable apparatus must be used to improve the accuracy of
readings taken. Perhaps, more readings should be taken for each
swings and then the average values are calculated, at least the
values will not be so much in difference. Lastly, in this matter
some errors can be eliminated if some precautions are taken
seriously.

 Conclusion :

we conclude that the value of k agrees well with the calculated

result and g is close to the accepted value of 981 cm/s2.
Any rigid body pivoted at a point other than its center of mass will
oscillate about the pivot point under its own gravitational force.
Such system is known as a compound pendulum.

And the compound pendulum behaves like a simple pendulum

with effective length.

References:
1. Glasgow, David (1885). Watch and Clock Making. London: Cassel & Co. p. 278

2. Kraige, J.L. Meriam L.G. Enginnering Mechamics Dynamics.