Physics Lab

Batch no.: 4 Experiment Code: E5

Name: Sanket Langhi Reg. No.: 20201252
Date: 09/02/2022

Aim:
To find the damping constant by comparing simple pendulum and damped pendulum.

Apparatus:
2 Magnets, an aluminium plate, a thread, a protractor, a scale(30 cm), stopwatch, pins.

Experiment:
First, fix the paper protractor on wall. Tie the thread between the given magnets and wrap
the other end of the thread to the pin and keep the distance of the thread between 50-60
cm. Make sure that the setup is stable.
Set the pendulum into oscillation and start the stopwatch and measure the time taken by
the pendulum and the number of oscillations taken by the pendulum.
Now place the aluminium sheet under the magnets with a separation of 20mm. Set the
pendulum into motion again and record the time taken by the pendulum to come to rest.
Repeat the same with a separation of 5mm and record the time.

Concepts:
Time period of pendulum:

T =2 π √ l/ g
Equation for damped Simple harmonic oscillator:
− αt
y= A e sin ( ωt +ϕ )

Recorded Data
Length of the pendulum = 67 cm.

Number of Oscillation:

 Free oscillations: -
Number of oscillations: 300, 310, 304, 308, 314
Mean = 307.2
Standard deviation = 5.4
n1 = 309 ± 5 oscillations

 5 mm gap: -
Number of oscillations: 50, 57,52, 52, 54
Mean = 53
Standard deviation = 2.3
n3 = 44 ± 2 oscillations

 20 mm gap: -
Number of oscillations: 192, 201, 194, 198,200
Mean = 189.4
Standard deviation = 3.7
n2 = 197 ± 4 oscillations

For Displacement vs Time Curve: -

 5 mm: -

Oscillation number Angle

0 5
2 4
5 3
8 2
14 1

Time Amplitude
0 0.058
3.18 0.047
7.95 0.035
 12.72 0.023
22.26 0.012

 20 mm: -

Oscillation number Angle

0 5
12 4
24 3
43 2
72 1

Time Amplitude
0 0.058
19.08 0.047
38.16 0.035
68.37 0.023
114.48 0.012

Graph
 5 mm gap: -
  20 mm gap: -

Analysis
From the above graphs, we conclude that the damping constant for:
1. 5 mm gap = 0.0720-1
2. 20 mm gap = 0.0149s-1
The sources of error are: -

 The string may not be uniform due to wind in the surroundings.

 The readings may change while recording.
 The string might be rubbing on the wall while oscillating.

Result:
The number of oscillations required to come to rest:

1. Free oscillations = 310+10 oscillations

2. 20 mm gap = 190+10 oscillations.
3. 5 mm gap = 50+5 oscillations.

The damping constants of the magnetic pendulum for: -

1. Al plate at 5 mm gap = 0.0720-1
2. Al plate at 20 mm gap = 0.0149s-1