Pendulum Period Worksheet
Goal: Discover which factors change a pendulum’s period (length, gravity or starting angle) and test the formula T = 2π√(L/g).
What to do
- Press Reset (1 m long, 10° starting angle, Earth gravity). Record the period and frequency.
- Press Reset, then “Small swing”, and record. Repeat with “Long pendulum” and “Moon gravity”, pressing Reset before each.
- Press Reset and set Length to 0.25 m, then to 4 m. Record both rows.
Record your results
| Setting | Period | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Default (1 m, 10°, Earth) | ||
| Small swing (3°) | ||
| Long pendulum (3 m) | ||
| Moon gravity (1.62 m/s²) | ||
| 0.25 m long | ||
| 4 m long |
Questions
Did changing the starting angle from 10° to 3° change the period? What does that tell you?
Compare the 0.25 m, 1 m and 4 m pendulums. What happens to the period each time the length is multiplied by 4?
Use T = 2π√(L/g) to calculate the period of the 3 m pendulum. Does it match the lab?
Why does the same pendulum swing more slowly on the Moon? By what factor is its period longer?
Frequency is 1 ÷ period. What happens to the frequency when the period doubles? Use your table.
Challenge: a clockmaker wants a period of exactly 1 s. Using your table, about how long should the pendulum be? Then solve T = 2π√(L/g) for L.
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