Yemeni Republic

Ministry of Higher
Education Sana`a University
Faculty of Engineering
Mechatronics Engineering
Department

Physics Lab

(Simple pendulum Experiment)

Prepared by the Student/Mohammed Tawfik Daghar

Supervised by/ Eng.Hussam Al-Khateeb

Faculty of Engineering – Sana`a University

‫م‬2025
1
Contents
the introduction:............................................................ 1
The aim of the experiment:.................................1
Tools used in the experiment:.............................1
Experimental theory: deducing the laws of
experimentation:..................................................2
Laws used in the experiment: ............................. 4
Experiment steps: ................................................ 5
Table: .................................................................... 6
Chart: .................................................................... 7
Special calculations to find the acceleration due to
gravity and the error rate:....................................8
Discussion of the experiment: ............................ 9
Conclusion:......................................................... 10

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 Introduction:

We will talk in this report is about the simple pendulum experiment.

Identification:

A simple pendulum is a horizontally pivoted suspended body that can

move back and forth from its resting position.

There is an important point: Through the simple pendulum

experiment, we conclude: The relationship between time and the length of
the pendulum string to find the acceleration due to gravity

The purpose of the experiment:

Calculate the acceleration due to gravity using a simple pendulum and
compare it to the actual value of 9.81 m/s

Tools used in the experiment:

 A metal ball tied with a string

 Holder with base

 Dusty ruler

 Stopwatch (To calculate time)

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Experimental theory deducing experimental laws:

Simple harmonic motion is defined as motion that repeats itself over

a fixed period of time.

Examples include the simple pendulum: It is a small ball suspended

vertically by a thin, massless, and inextensible thread.

▪ note :The ball suspended from a string is in equilibrium

under the influence of Two forces of equal magnitude and
opposite direction are:
❖ Body weight (the force of gravity of the Earth on the body)
❖ Upward thread tension

When the ball is moved at a slight angle (because a large angle leads to a

percentage of error) and left free to move, the ball is no longer…

Balanced and we describe its movement as we do in

dynamics as follows:

The motion is described using the tangent axis

and the perpendicular axis (because the

motion is on a curve):

The direction of movement is t and the direction

of the center is N.

First, on the n-axis, the vertical direction: there

is no movement on this axis, meaning that

∑Fn= 0
2
 T−mgcosθ= 0
T = mgcosθ

This means that the tension in the rope cancels out the effect of this
vehicle.

Secondly:

∑Fᵗ = maᵗ

Whereas (ma) It is the force of return.

We also analyze the weight on this axis (mg sinθ).It is the component that
sin the ball's movement causes it to automatically return to its
equilibrium position.

−mg sin θ = maᵗ

We find that the wheel is a value that is not affected by the mass of the
body because it will be shortened from both sides.

−g sin θ = aᵗ

Whereas (aᵗ) it is the value of the tangential acceleration and is equal to

aᵗ=−w2 x

𝐋
Sin θ =
𝑿

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We substitute in the equation

−g sin θ = aᵗ

And we get:

𝒈
= w2
𝒍

𝟐𝝅
Whereas W =( 𝚻
) We compensate with its value (W) we get the
relationship between period, acceleration and length.

𝒍
g= 4𝝅𝟐
𝐓𝟐

On this basis, the relationship for calculating the period of a simple

pendulum was deduced.

𝑳
(T = 2𝝅√ )
𝒈

Whereas :( T) Periodic time

(L)Pendulum string length

(G) Acceleration due to gravity

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 Laws used in the experiment:

1) Gravity
g=4𝜋 2 ×slope
s
2) The slope
∆𝒍
Slope=
∆𝑻𝟐
3) Error rate
𝐠𝐞𝐱−𝐠𝐭𝐡
×100%
𝐠𝐭𝐡

Experiment steps:

1) We determine the length of the thread from the suspension point

to the middle of the ball. We will start with a length of
30.cmThen we move the ball slightly sideways and let the
pendulum swing.

2) We use a stopwatch to count the time of ten complete oscillations.

3) Increase the length of the thread by 5 or 10 meters.cm and

every time we calculate Time of ten vibrations.
4)Find the time of one oscillation.

5) We write all the readings we obtained in a table and a graph.

6) From the slope of the straight line, we calculate the value of

the acceleration due to gravity.

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 Table:
square of Oscillation time Time 10 Pendulum
oscillation time One oscillations length
One
TS T10S L(CM)
T2S2
1.233 1.106 11.06 30

1.329 1.153 11.53 35

1,540 1.241 12.41 40

1.745 1.321 13.21 45

1.963 1,401 14.01 50

2.167 1.472 14.72 55

2,402 1.55 15.5 60

2.602 1.613 16.13 65

2.786 1.696 16.96 70

3,031 1.741 17.41 75

3.175 1.782 17.82 80

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 Chart:

We note from experience that with increasing length, the period of

the simple pendulum increas

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 Special calculations to find the acceleration due to
gravity and the error rate:

Calculating the acceleration due to gravity:

∆l 𝐿2 −𝐿1
Slope= =
∆l2 L−L21

75−45
Slope= =23.3281
3.031−1.745

g=4𝜋 2 × 23.3281

g=9.2

Error rate:

𝒈𝑒𝑥−𝒈𝑡ℎ
P.E= ×100%
𝒈𝑡ℎ

𝟗.𝟐𝟏−𝟗.𝟖𝟏
×100%=6.12%
𝟗.𝟖𝟏

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 Discussing the experience:

We calculated the value of the acceleration due to gravity

and it was equal to 9.21%.

By comparing it to the actual gravitational acceleration of 9.81%,

we find that there is a difference between the actual and
measured values, which is due to the error rate, which is
approximately equal to 6.12%.

Possible causes of error in the experiment include:

• The pendulum angle: it was larger than necessary. In the

case of the angle the larger the movement, the more
spindle it will be.
• The simple pendulum itself: as it may have been old and
unproven, which led to an error in measurement.

To avoid mistakes:

• Stabilizing the simple pendulum from external factors.

• Repeat the experiment more than once to reduce the error rate.

• Usean accurate clock to measure the periodic time when the cycle
begins.

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 Conclusion:
To calculate the acceleration due to gravity, several experiments
are performed, based on suspending the object and calculating the
time required for several oscillations that result from it, and then
applying the following law to calculate the acceleration due to
gravity.
𝐿
g=4𝜋 2
𝑇2

The acceleration due to gravity can also be calculated by using a

simple pendulum and making a graph of its movement. Through this,

the slope of the line is calculated, which is equal to the change in the

y-axis over the change in the x-axis, which is equal to

∆𝐋
Slop=
∆𝐓 𝟐

Any change in the length of the rope divided by the square of the time
required to complete one oscillation, and then apply the previous law
to calculate it.

It also became clear to us that a simple pendulum needs more time

when the length of the pendulum string increases, and that the
factors affecting the period of the pendulum are the length of the
string and the acceleration resulting from gravity only, and that there
is no relationship between mass and the period.

According to the following equation:

t

𝐿
T=2𝜋√
𝑔

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