University of Jordan

School of Engineering
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Vibrations Lab

Centre of Percussion & Kater’s (Reversible) Pendulum

Student name ID number

Zaina Abdelaziz 0156297

Sinan Assaid 0151566

Laith Qudah 0141398

Saeed Asha 0147566

Jabreel Qasswal 0155148

VI- Collected Data:

Part One- Centre Of Percussion:

Table-2.1 Collected data for the Centre of Percussion part

Trial Y (cm) h (cm) T (second)
1 66 40 15.20
2 60 38 14.25
3 52 37 14.00
4 45 36 13.60
5 29 30 13.10

Part Two- Reversible Pendulum:

L = 69 (m)

Table-2.2 Collected data for the Reversible Pendulum part

Trial Y1 (cm) T1 (second) Y2 (cm) T2 (second)
1 54 15.10 15 12.20
2 50 14.00 19 12.20
3 46 13.55 23 12.25
4 41 13.10 28 12.52
5 33 12.55 36 13.10
6 26 12.35 43 14.10
7 14 12.10 55 15.12

1
VII- Data Processing:

Part One- Centre Of Percussion:

 Sample Calculation:
The period of oscillation for 3 samples is:
T 15.20
τ1= = =1.52 sec
10 cycles 10
14.2 5
τ 2= =1.425 sec
10
14
τ3= =1. 4 sec
10
To calculate the radius of gyration about point A using equation 5:

K 2A τ2 g h 1. 522 ×98 0.663 × 40

τ 1 =2 π
√ g h1 √ √
⇒ K A ,1 = 1 2 1 =
4π 4 π2
=4 7 . 91 cm

1. 4252 × 98 0.663× 38
K A ,2=
√ 4 π2
=4 3 .78 cm

1. 42 ×98 0.663 ×37

K A ,3=
√ 4 π2
=4 2 . 44 cm

The equivalent length of the compound pendulum for 3 samples using equation 6 is:

K 2A , 1 47.912
l 1equ= = =57.39 cm
h1 40

43.78 2
l 2equ= =5 0 . 44 cm
38
42.44 2
l 3equ= =48 . 69 cm
37

2
Part Two- Reversible Pendulum:

 Sample Calculation:
The center of gravity of the assembly using equations 9 & 10 is:
ML 0.68 ×69 ML 0.68 × 69
+ mY 1 +1.1 ×54 + mY 2 +1.1 ×15
2 2 2 2
h1 = = =46.55 cm h2 = = =22.45 cm
M +m 1.78 M +m 1.78

The radius of gyration about the center of gravity using equation 8 is:

τ 22 1.222
K CG ,1=
√ 4π
2
×( g h2−h22)=
√ 4π
2
×(980.663 ×22.45−22.452)=18.06 cm

1.222
K CG ,2=
√ 4π 2
×( 980.663× 24.92−24.922 )=17.33 cm

1.2252
K CG ,3=
4π√2
×(980.663 ×27.39−27.392)=16.45 cm

The value of the gravitational acceleration using equations 7 &8 is:

K CG 2+ h12 4 π 2 ( K 2CG + h21 ) 4 π 2 × ( 18.062 + 46.552 )

τ 1 =2 π
√g h1
⇒ gτ 1= 2
τ 1 ×h 1
= 2
( 1.51 ) × 46.55
=927.3 cm. s−2=9.273m . s−2

4 π 2 ( K 2CG + h22 ) 4 π 2 × ( 18.0 62 +22.4 52 )

gτ 2 = 2
= 2
=980.665 cm. s−2=9.81 m . s−2
τ ×h 2
2 (1.22 ) ×22.45

The error in the gravitational acceleration is:

gτ 1−g 9.273−9.81
ε gτ 1= ×100 %= ×100 %=−5.8 %
gτ 1 9.273
gτ 2−g 9.81−9.81
ε gτ 2= ×100 %= ×100 %=0 %
gτ 2 9.81

The theoretical period of oscillation using equations 7 &8 is:

K CG 2+ h12 18.062 +46.552
τ 1 =2 π
√g h1
=2 π
√
980.665 × 46.55
=1.47 sec

K CG 2 +h22 18.062 +22 . 4 52

τ 2=2 π
√
g h2
=2 π
√
980.665 × 22. 4 5
=1.22 sec ⁡

3
The error between the theoretical values and the experimental values is:
τ 1 ,theo −τ 1 ,exp 1.47−1.51
ε τ 1= × 100 %= ×100 %=−2.8 %
τ 1 ,theo 1.47

τ 2 , theo −τ 2 ,exp 1.22−1.22

ε τ 2= ×100 %= ×100 %=0 %
τ 2 , theo 1.22

4
VIII- Results:

Part One- Centre Of Percussion:

Table-2.3 Data processing results for the Centre of Percussion part

Trial Y (cm) h (cm)  (second) KA (cm) lequ (cm)
1 66 39 1.520 47.91 57.39
2 60 38 1.425 43.78 50.44
3 52 36 1.400 42.44 48.69
4 45 35 1.360 40.67 45.99
5 29 31 1.310 35.76 42.63

Part Two- Reversible Pendulum:

Table-2.4 Data processing analysis for the reversible pendulum part

Trial Y1 (cm) Y2 (cm) h1 (cm) h2 (cm) KCG (cm)
1 54 15 46.55 22.45 18.06
2 50 19 44.08 24.92 17.33
3 46 23 41.61 27.39 16.45
4 41 28 38.52 30.48 16.05
5 33 36 33.57 35.43 15.97
6 26 43 29.25 39.75 19.57
7 14 55 21.83 47.17 21.30

Table-2.5 Data processing results for the Reversible Pendulum part

Trial 1-Theor. 1-Exper. 1 Percent 2-Theor. 2-Exper. 2 Percent
(second) (second) Error () (second) (second) Error ()
1 1.47 1.510 -2.8% 1.220 1.220 0%
2 1.43 1.400 2.2% 1.220 1.220 0%
3 1.39 1.355 2.6% 1.225 1.225 0%
4 1.35 1.310 2.9% 1.252 1.252 0%
5 1.29 1.255 2.5% 1.310 1.310 0%
6 1.31 1.235 5.4% 1.410 1.410 0%
7 1.31 1.210 7.6% 1.512 1.512 0%

5
Table-2.6 Data processing results for the Reversible Pendulum part
Trial g eqn-7 g Percent g eqn-8 g Percent
(m/sec.2) Error () (m/sec.2) Error ()
1 9.273 -5.8% 9.81 0%
2 10.251 4.3% 9.81 0%
3 10.345 5.2% 9.81 0%
4 10.400 5.7% 9.81 0%
5 10.320 4.9% 9.81 0%
6 10.959 10.5% 9.81 0%
7 11.491 14.7% 9.81 0%

Figure 1: h1 versus t1 and t2

Table-2.7 Data processing results for the Reversible Pendulum part

From Figure-2.3:
h1 (cm) 35.2 h2 (cm) 33.8
Y1 (cm) 35.63 Y2 (cm) 33.37

6
IX- Discussion And Conclusions:

1) What is the physical meaning of the equivalent length of the compound pendulum?

It is the length of the simple pendulum thread that will produce the same oscillatory
behavior of that in a compound pendulum, i.e. having the same period time "" and thus the
same natural frequency "n".

2) One of the important employments of the concept of the centre of percussion in

engineering is found in the automobile, by the proper selection of the positions of
the front and rear axles relative to each other, how would you explain that?

In an automobile, if the front wheels strike a bump, the passengers will not feel any reaction
if the center of percussion of the vehicle is located near the rear axle. At the same time, if
the rear wheels strike a bump, the passengers will not feel any reaction at the front axle if
the center of percussion is located near the front axle. Therefore, it is preferred to have the
center of oscillation of the vehicle at one axle and the center of percussion at the other axle.

3) Comment on your observations concerning the reaction at the pivot point of the
compound pendulum, when it has been hit at its centre of percussion compared to
other points?

 When the pendulum was hit over the centre of percussion, there was rotation and
translational displacement at the pivot point to the right.
 When it was hit below the centre of percussion, there was rotation and translational
displacement to the left.
 Thus the centre of percussion is situated in between; which means when the
pendulum is hit at the centre of percussion, only rotation at pivot point existed due to
moment effect but the axial reaction was zero, so no translational displacement.

4) Name the major sources of errors in the experiment, and comment briefly on the
effect of each one on the results obtained?

 Inaccuracy in measuring length, mass, and time.

 Calculations' approximation.
 Frictional losses.
 Base vibration could affect pendulum oscillation.

7
5) In the reversible pendulum part of the experiment, the effect of the knifes fixed at
both ends of the bar has not been Considered in the determination of h1, h2 & KCG.
Consider any case from Table-2.2, and recalculate the corresponding parameters
with these knifes included, and find the resulted error for each parameter? (The
mass of each knife is MK = 0.21 kg).

 Before considering the mass of the knife " MK":

Trial Y1 (cm) T1 (second) Y2 (cm) T2 (second)

1 54 15.10 15 12.20

Trial Y1 (cm) Y2 (cm) h1 (cm) h2 (cm) KCG (cm)

1 54 15 46.55 22.45 18.06

 After Considering the mass of the knife " MK ":

ML 0.68× 69
+ mY 1 + M k L + 1.1×54 +0.21 ×69
2 2
h1 = = =48.92 cm
M +m+ M k 0.68+1.1+0.21
|48.92−46.55|
ε a= ×100 %=4.84 %
48.92
h2 =69−h 1=69−48.92=20.08 cm
|20.08−22.45|
ε a= ×100 %=11.80 %
20.08
τ 22 1.222
K CG ,1=
√ 4π
2
×(g h 2 −h 2
2
√
)=
4π
2
×(980.663 ×2 0.08−20.082)=26.97 cm

|26.97−18.06|
ε a= × 100 %=33 %
2 6.97

8
X- Applications:
The concepts of compound pendulum and center of percussion can be used in many
practical applications such as:
1. A baseball bat. if a ball strikes at the center of percussion of the bat while the center
of oscillation is at the hands, then shock will not be produced on the bat. This results
in zero reaction at the hands.
2. A hammer. The shape of a hammer is so made that it should have the center of
percussion at the hammer head while the center of suspension at the handle. Because
of this design the impact force at the hammer head will not cause any reaction at the
handle.