Pendulum Lab Worksheet Answers Guide

The period ( ) of a simple pendulum is determined by the length of the string ( ) and the acceleration due to gravity (

4π2gthe fraction with numerator 4 pi squared and denominator g end-fraction : Rearranging the formula to find gravity:

: To reduce human error, it is standard to measure the time for 10 or 20 oscillations and then divide by that number to find the time for one single period. pendulum lab worksheet answers

T=2πLgcap T equals 2 pi the square root of the fraction with numerator cap L and denominator g end-fraction end-root : Period (the time for one full swing back and forth).

: Length of the pendulum (measured from the pivot to the center of the mass). : Acceleration due to gravity (approximately on Earth). 2. Common Variables & Relationships The period ( ) of a simple pendulum

). Below are common answers for a standard pendulum lab worksheet. 1. The Core Equation The mathematical relationship for a simple pendulum is:

: To get a straight line for your data, you should plot Period squared ( T2cap T squared ) vs. Length ( ) . The slope of this line is equal to : Acceleration due to gravity (approximately on Earth)

: Increasing the length increases the period. Specifically, if you quadruple the length, you double the period. 3. Step-by-Step Data Analysis Most labs require you to solve for or predict a specific length.