Lab Activity Phy223 Rotational Mechanics, Part II: Swinging Stick

Names:

Penghui Chen Nga Hoang

Yu Lin XiaoHe Peng

Swinging Stick
Introduction
In this activity you will find the minimum period of a swinging stick (a roughly 8-foot-long piece
of 1x2 nominal lumber) both theoretically and experimentally and compare the results.

Procedure and Instructions for Report

A. Abstract
Give a brief description of what you did. What is the purpose of this lab?

In this lab, we will swing a stick that is pinned to a point. Then record the time swings
and find the period. At the end, we look for the minimum distance from the center of
mass when the period is at minimum.

B. Finding the experimental values for xmin and Tmin

Your goal is to find the period T of oscillation as a function of x, the distance between the axis of
rotation (pin) and the center of mass (cm). You will then use your data to experimentally find the
xmin , for which the period T has its minimum value Tmin .
distance
Experimental Setup:

pin
axis of rotation
x
center of mass

angle  should not
cm
exceed 10⁰

Procedure and Data:

Lab Activity Phy223 Rotational Mechanics, Part II: Swinging Stick

1. Use every hole, starting with the first hole from the center of mass, as the axis of rotation.
2. For each hole: take two or three trials to measure the period T. Make sure to keep the
amplitude low (less than 10⁰). Keep friction to a minimum. Record all data in an Excel
spreadsheet (i.e. all values for T, their average, and the distance x) and include it in your report.

Analysis:
1. Create a graph showing the period T as a function of x, the distance between the axis of
rotation and the center of mass.
Lab Activity Phy223 Rotational Mechanics, Part II: Swinging Stick

xmin (the distance with a minimum T) and

2. Use your graph to find your experimental result for
Tmin .
the corresponding period

The X-min is 0.5m and T-exp is 2.136 sec.

C. Finding the theoretical values for xmin and Tmin

The swinging stick is an example for a physical pendulum. The physical pendulum is covered in
section 15.6 of your textbook. You will probably need your textbook to work through the
following steps.
1. Draw an extended FBD for the swinging stick at a point half-way through an oscillation
(maximum amplitude). Important hint: you can draw the FBD with the stick at the left-of-
equilibrium position shown in the figure above or in the right-of-equilibrium position as shown in
figure 15.20 of your textbook. Note that the angle  is measured counterclockwise from the
equilibrium position. This means that  is negative in the figure above or positive in figure 15.20.

2. Use the parallel axis theorem to create an equation for the moment of inertia for your stick
as a function of x (the distance the axis of rotation is away from the center of mass).
Lab Activity Phy223 Rotational Mechanics, Part II: Swinging Stick

1
- I= M L2 + M x 2 (L = 2 m )
12

3. Write out the equation for   I  about the axis of rotation (not the center of mass)
using information from #1 and #2 above. What force is exerting the torque to speed up and
slow down the stick? Is I the moment of inertia about the center of mass or not?

4. Solve the differential equation you obtained in step 3. Use section 15.6 in your textbook for
guidance. You will get an equation for the angular frequency  as a function of x.

5. Rewrite this equation to determine a function for the period T (i.e. express  in terms of T and
Lab Activity Phy223 Rotational Mechanics, Part II: Swinging Stick

solve for T).

xmin for the minimum period and the value for the
6. Use calculus to predict the position
Tmin . In Excel, create a graph of T vs. x, and include it in your report.
minimum period
Lab Activity Phy223 Rotational Mechanics, Part II: Swinging Stick

D. Conclusions
Lab Activity Phy223 Rotational Mechanics, Part II: Swinging Stick

1. Compare - using a graph overlay - your theoretical function for the period to your
experimental function.
-

T vs x
6.000

5.000

4.000

3.000 T_exp (s)

T(s)

T_th (s)
2.000

1.000

0.000
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
x(m)

xmin and Tmin . Determine the percent

2. Compare your theoretical and empirical values for
xmin,theory  xmin,exp eriment
xmin,theory
difference . Discuss your results.
|0. 577 −0.5|
- the percent difference = 0. 577
x 100 %=13.34 %
3. Give possible sources of error and discuss their significance.
-
4. Discuss the physical meaning of the minimum of the period. That is, what is happening
physically that reduces the period and then increases it again? Hint: in your equation for T vs. x,
what is the physical meaning of the numerator and denominator?
-