StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...

Determining acceleration due to gravity using a simple pendelum - Lab Report Example

Cite this document
Summary
Name Professor Course Date Determining acceleration due to gravity using a simple pendulum Introduction “Acceleration due to gravity” refers to a pull or force exerted on bodies resting on earth’s surface whose direction is towards its center, hence implying it is a negative vector quantity (Achuthan 63)…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER98.5% of users find it useful
Determining acceleration due to gravity using a simple pendelum
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Determining acceleration due to gravity using a simple pendelum"

Download file to see previous pages

ttl 19). This is due to earth’s radii changes caused by both altitude and latitude variations as one moves to the poles whereby distance to the crust continues to decrease. This is because at the poles the surface is flattened compared to the equator where there is bulging due to a large radius, which is the reason behind an individual’s location being the determinant of g. In quest to find g, this experiment utilizes the following formula, T = 2? / ? = 2? v (L/g) = 2? v (L/g) by rearranging g = 2?

L / T2 Methodology Experiment Materials required Piece of string, which is lighter such that its weight is negligible Hook Pendulum or bob Stopwatch Meter rule or tape measure Supporting board for hook Steps to perform experiment The first step entailed setting up the experiment. This is by hanging pendulum or bob using a string from the supporting board where there is a hook, then adjusting L to approximately 50cm or appropriate length that will act as the initial value. Then displacement of a pendulum using a certain angle before released to swing back and forth took place.

It was essential to ensure motion in this case was vertical instead of erratic elliptical, which mostly develops due to inappropriate displacement. Timing was at intervals of 10 oscillations for each chosen L until it reached about 125cm and having at intervals of 15cm, then tabulating obtained data. Data values were L, T and angles. After tabulation, calculation commenced to ascertain T2 and g values. Recording of data included g and its mean values besides standard error deviations. The last step encompassed plotting of L vs.

T2 graph with the intention of ascertaining its slope, which was the value for g (Serway, Jewett & Vahe? 465). Results Table 1: Data Results L (M) T50 (S) T (S) T (S) T (S) T (S) T2 (S2) g (M/S2) 50 65 80 95 110 Discussion Formula and effects on experimental accuracy Based on the experimental results, error in L prompts a linear relation error in any resulting value of g. This implies suppose there was a 10% error in value of l, it will reflect an erratic value of g having a margin of 10%. In addition, an error in g exhibited a squared or parabolic relationship with error evident in the value of T.

Suppose T had an error bearing a margin of 10%, this will reflect 21% value of g. This is because 1.10 x 1.10 = 1.21 Controlling and measuring length String used in this experiment was light together with heavy mass. The purpose of the latter was to ensure the center of pendulum’s oscillation system was as close as possible to the center of the mass of fishing sinker. Then calculating mass of the string compared to that of the sinker commenced. There was also a need to increase the length of the string to ensure less percentage error restricted by 8m measuring tape (stairs were approximately 15m high).

Accuracy’s margin was set at ±5 or approximately 0.07% over 7.5m. It entailed one hour to wait for effective completion of string’s stretch and twist caused by the suspended mass, which was a lot of time. To rectify this problem in the next experiment, it would be essential to use a light string as well as measuring stretch before starting. Calculation of maximum centripetal acceleration commenced with the aid of angle created by pendulum (where PE converted to KE). However, this affected both string and accuracy of the data due to unknown stretch

...Download file to see next pages Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Determining acceleration due to gravity using a simple pendelum Lab Report”, n.d.)
Determining acceleration due to gravity using a simple pendelum Lab Report. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/physics/1486604-determining-acceleration-due-to-gravity-using-a
(Determining Acceleration Due to Gravity Using a Simple Pendelum Lab Report)
Determining Acceleration Due to Gravity Using a Simple Pendelum Lab Report. https://studentshare.org/physics/1486604-determining-acceleration-due-to-gravity-using-a.
“Determining Acceleration Due to Gravity Using a Simple Pendelum Lab Report”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/physics/1486604-determining-acceleration-due-to-gravity-using-a.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Determining acceleration due to gravity using a simple pendelum

Estimation of the value of gravitational acceleration g based on measurements from a simple pendulum

In this report, relationship between two broad parameters of a simple harmonic oscillator (pendulum) was investigated.... using a stopwatch the average time for 10 oscillations was… The process was repeated to generate adequate data that was used to calculate gravitational acceleration and compared with the documented value (9.... It was concluded that prior to accurate measurement of the quantities involved and reduction of reaction time during measurement, a more accurate value for gravitational acceleration can be evaluated Displacement of a pendulum from its equilibrium position results in a restoring force that is due to gravitational pull that maintains it in a swinging mode....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

The Simple Pendulum

Measuring the acceleration due to gravity with a Simple Pendulum).... The period of the oscillation is dependent on the length of the pendulum, the amplitude of the swing and the acceleration due to gravity (PHY 123 Lab 1 - Error and Uncertainty and the Simple Pendulum, 2010).... Measuring the acceleration due to gravity with a Simple Pendulum).... The objective of this experiment was to estimate the value of gravitational force (g), based on measurements obtained from a simple pendulum and comparing it to the value of widely accepted value of 9....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Estimation of the value of gravitational acceleration g based on measurements from a simple pendulum

The relationship 4π2/slope is then used to estimate the value of the acceleration due to gravity, g.... Additionally, they were able to compute the value for the acceleration due to gravity, g, with a relative error of... The students used simple linear regression to come up with a linear model for the data.... The angle is so small such that the sin θ can be approximated to just θ making this motion to be simple harmonic....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Estimation of gravitational acceleration due to pendulim

However, it is dependent on factors such as the pendulum's length and the acceleration due to the gravitation.... From the above, acceleration due to gravitational force can be determined by making g the subject of the formula, that is, g = 4π2L / T2.... This estimated value of The use of a simple pendulum experiment in the study of motion helps to provide valuable insights into the acceleration of objects due to the gravitational force.... The period is the time a simple pendulum takes to complete a single oscillation....
4 Pages (1000 words) Assignment

Finding Gravity Using a Simple Pendulum

This paper ''Finding Gravity Using a Simple Pendulum'' tells that The study aims at determining the acceleration due to gravity using a simple pendulum.... Data is collected on the pendulum's time to make an oscillation, and theory is used to determine the acceleration due to gravity.... In the absence of any other external force that could act on an item, the realized power is called acceleration due to gravity and is a constant for all objects within the earth's surface and a limit of the earth's environment (Chabay and Sherwood 2011, p....
6 Pages (1500 words) Case Study

The Pendulum Concept, Angular Displacement, Period of Motion of a Pendulum, Light vs Heavy Pendulums

nbsp;    Figure 1: a simple gravity pendulum illustrating the principle of pendulums (Parks 2)The pendulum concept has been used for a variety of practical applications.... This project is particularly aimed at establishing the relationship between the amplitude and period of a simple pendulum.... due to the momentum (made up of the mass and the speed of motion of the swinging body), the swinging body passes via the equilibrium position to the other side of the centerline until it reaches the maximum distance it can go on that side....
16 Pages (4000 words) Lab Report

Simple Pendulum

He also found out that it can be used to measure acceleration due to gravity (Matthews, 2006).... The final result of the acceleration due to gravity (g) takes into account error correction using approximation method.... It means that when a heavy object and a light object are dropped from the same height they will land at the ground at the same time in condition that air resistance and wind does not interfere with; the rate in which objects drop to the ground from a certain height is called acceleration due to gravity....
5 Pages (1250 words) Assignment

Sample Pendulum

The rate at which objects fall from a given height to the surface of the Earth is referred to as the acceleration due to gravity, g.... y varying the length, L, of the pendulum and measuring the corresponding T, time period it is possible to calculate the acceleration due to gravity, g.... he data obtained was then used to calculate the acceleration due to gravity, g.... When the length of the pendulum is precisely, like it was known in the experiment, it can actually be used to measure the acceleration due to gravity....
2 Pages (500 words) Assignment
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us