Jonathan Coleman

Miss Priest

IB1 Physics B-2

Complex Pendulum Lab

Introduction:

A complex pendulum is a complex system containing two pendulums. The motion of one

of the pendulums affects the motion of the other. The super-period of a complex pendulum is

the length of time for the both pendulums to swing back and forth once (complete a cycle),

and length of one of the pendulums is defined to be the distance from the point it is swinging

from to the center of the mass.

In this experiment, the length of Pendulum 2 will be variable, and the period, thereafter,

will be measured.

Variables:

Independent Variable: Length of Pendulum 2

In this experiment, as previously avowed, the length of Pendulum 2 will be varied. The

values will range from 22.0 centimeters (cm) to 71.0 centimeters.

Dependent Variable: Super-period

After changing the length of Pendulum 2, the super-period of the entire complex

pendulum system will be measured.

Controlled Variables:

Dropping angle: It is necessary to maintain a constant angle while conducting the lab. This is

to maintain assurance that it the data being recorded is unaffected by changing the angle. If

this were to be left variable, the results of the experiment would be ambiguous, and therefore
inconclusive. In this experiment, maintain a constant angle of 45 degrees, with respect to the

vertical. This will be kept constant using a protractor to measure the angle each time.

Whoever measures the angle will make sure that the angle is kept at 45 degrees from the

vertical.

Length X (refer to Appendix A): It is necessary to maintain a constant length X for much the

same reason as the previous. If the length between the two pendulums was left as a variable,

it would introduce ambiguity into the results. Keeping length X constant is a great way to be

sure that the only possible variable that could affect the super-period is the length of

Pendulum 2. For this experiment, keep the length X as a constant 100 centimeters, using a

meter stick to make sure of the consistency.

Length P1(refer to Appendix A): It is necessary, as well, to keep the length of Pendulum 1

constant. If both of the pendulum lengths were to vary, there would be no certainty of which

is causing the visible results. For the sake of not introducing ambiguity into the experiment,

the length of Pendulum 1, in this case, should be kept at a constant 50 centimeters. Using a

meter-stick, this should be no difficult feat; measure the length and maintain the length.

Mass attached to the strings: Because changing the mass attached to the end of a pendulum

may have an effect on the super-period, the mass should also be kept constant. In this case,

the mass should be a constant, 59.00 grams connected to each pendulum. Mass the masses,

then they will be the same for each trial.

Materials:

• Tape
 • 5 meters of string

• 2 masses (each of 59.00 grams)

• A ceiling

• A protractor

• Pencils and paper

• A meter-stick

• Stopwatch

• 1 black Sharpie

Procedure:

1. Gather all materials.

2. Gather the string. Cut three meters of string.

3. Measure one meter from each side and mark with the black sharpie, as such:

x x
4. Tape the ends of the entire string onto the ceiling exactly 1.50 meters apart.

5. Gather the masses. Make sure they are each 59.00 grams. Cut off one, 50 centimeter

long string for Pendulum 1 and one 50 centimeter string for Pendulum 2. Tie the

masses to each string, so that each string has a mass of 59.00 grams attached to it.

6. Tie the other sides of the strings to the parts labeled ‘x’ on the above drawing and tape

them down for security.

7. The pendulum should be set up, and look similar to Image 1 in Appendix A. Ready

the stopwatch.

8. Measure 45 degrees, with respect to the vertical. Drop Pendulum 1 from that angle,
 making sure to begin the timer right when the pendulum is dropped.

9. The super-period of a complex pendulum is when, after Pendulum 1 is dropped and

begins motion, Pendulum 2 begins motion, Pendulum 1 stops, then Pendulum 2 stops,

and Pendulum 1 begins its motion again. After this cycle occurs once, stop the timer.

Record the time.

10. Repeat steps 5 – 9 for Pendulum 2 lengths of 43 centimeters, 36 centimeters, 29

centimeters, and 22 centimeters.

Data Tables:

Raw Data:

Length (cm) +/- Period (Trial 1; Period (Trial 2; Period (Trial 3;

2m s) s) s)
0.50 14.23 14.04 14.35
0.43 16.98 18.15 17.84
0.36 20.89 20.87 20.88
0.29 23.92 23.80 24.04
0.22 25.90 27.96 26.93

Table of Average Times:

Height (cm) (+/- 2.0 cm) Average Period (s)

0.50 14.21 +/- 0.15

0.43 17.66 +/- 0.59
0.36 20.88 +/- 0.01
0.29 23.92 +/- 0.12
0.22 26.93 +/- 1.03

Sample Calculation 1:

Since only the average period will be graphed against the varied length of Pendulum 2,
one must find the average period.

For average Period (Tave):

Take the sum of the Period data values for a constant length value (e.g. the sum of Period

data values for a length of 0.22 m) and divide by the number of data values for that same

length (e.g. for a length of 0.22 m, there are three data values, so divide by three), as such:

Tave = Sum of data values / # of data values = (14.32s + 14.04s + 14.35s) / 3 = 14.21 s

This representation of the data seems to imply a power relationship in which the power is

one. More simply stated, the data seems to exhibit a linear relationship. In order to prove that

this data does or does not exhibit a linear relationship, a transformation of the data must be

performed. The type of transformation will be a Logarithmic transformation. This type of

transformation is used to prove power relationships; if the data has a power relationship, the

logarithmic transformation will represent the transformed data as a line and the slope of that

transformation line is the power of the original relationship.

First, the data must be transformed:

Sample Calculation 2:

To prove any power relationship, one must graph the Logarithmic transformation of the

data; that is, Logarithm of Y-values vs. Logarithm of X-values. In this case, Logarithm of

‘Period’ values vs. Logarithm of ‘length values’, denoted log(l) vs. log(T).

For calculating the logarithm:

To calculate the logarithm, plug the values into the logarithm functions of a scientific or

graphic-display calculator. As such, <<log(l)>> should be entered, where ‘l’ is any length

value [this applies also to the period T-values].

Equation obtained by the transformation: T = -0.74(l) + 0.962

Solving for the equation in power form,

One must recognize that the equation obtained after the transformation follows the form:

T = ml + p, or log(T) = q*log(l) + log(p), and

log(T) = -0.74*log(l) + 0.96

log(p) = 0.96

Thus, p = 100.96 = 9.16

-0.74 = q, the power of the function

In this case, the q = -0.74 will be rounded off to q = -0.5.

Thus, the equation for the power relationship is [T = 9.16(l)-0.5]. In nature, a power

relationship in which the power is not an integer is rare; however, in this case, the non-integer

power is necessary for the equation to be visible in the graph, and a square root function (a

power of 0.5) is far more common than a function containing a power of -0.7. Square-root

functions appear relatively often in nature, which explains the rounding from 0.7 to 0.5.

The last graph contains Period values vs. the inverse square root of the length of

Pendulum 2. A table of these values is presented below:

Transformed Data Table

[(Length of Pendulum 2)0.5 +/- 0.01 m] [Period (s)]

0.71 14.21
0.66 17.66
0.60 20.88
0.54 23.92
0.47 26.93

Sample Calculation 3:

In the finalized graphical representation of the data, it is necessary to graph the uncertainties

that have been transformed (because the data has been transformed), so one must find the

transformed uncertainty values.

For transformation of Uncertainty:

For a square-root function, to get the new uncertainty value, you multiply the absolute

uncertainty by one-half, as such:

Unew: Uorig * ½ = 0.02 m * ½ = 0.01 m

Now, to graphically represent the transformed data:

Max – Min calculations:

To get a better view of the magnitude of the uncertainties, it is necessary to make

maximum slope and minimum slope lines. These allow one to see the weight of the

uncertainties on the values, and how they affect the graphical representations and the data.

Minimum Slope:

To calculate the Minimum slope, choose two points on the graph (normally the first and
last).

For the first point, subtract the ‘Amount of Hydrogen Peroxide’ uncertainty to the respective

data value, and add the ‘Amount of Bubbles Produced’ uncertainty to its respective data

value as follows:

1st point: (x1,y1) = ((0.47 – 0.01 m), (26.93 + 0.04 s)) = (0.46 m, 26.97 s)

For the last point, add the ‘Amount of Hydrogen Peroxide’ uncertainty to the respective data

value, and subtract the ‘Amount of Bubbles Produced’ uncertainty to its respective data value

as follows:

2nd point: (x2, y2) = ((0.71 + 0.01 m), (14.21– 0.05 s)) = (0.72 m, 14.16 s)

To calculate the slope, use the equation, m = (y2 – y1)/ (x2 – x1), and plug in the known values.

The value ‘m’ will be the slope.

Slope = m = (y2 – y1)/ (x2 – x1) = (14.16 – 26.97) / (0.72 – 0.46) = -12.81/(0.26) = – 49 ms-1

Maximum Slope:

To calculate the maximum slope, approach the problem in the same way as the minimum

slope problem. Choose two points, and use the slope formula.

For the first point, add the ‘Amount of Hydrogen Peroxide’ uncertainty to the respective data

value, and subtract the ‘Amount of Bubbles Produced’ uncertainty to its respective data value

as follows:

1st point: (x1, y1) = ((0.47 + 0.01 m), (26.93 – 0.04 s)) = (0.48 m, 26.89 s)

For the last point, subtract the ‘Amount of Hydrogen Peroxide’ uncertainty to the respective

data value, and add the ‘Amount of Bubbles Produced’ uncertainty to its respective data

value as follows:

2nd point: (x2, y2) = ((0.71 – 0.01 m), (14.21 + 0.05 s)) = (0.70 m, 14.26 s)
Applying the slope formula, m = (y2 – y1)/ (x2 – x1),

Slope = m = (y2 – y1)/ (x2 – x1) = (14.26 – 26.89) / (0.72 – 0.48) = -12.63/0.24 = – 53 ms-1

Max line Y-intercept Calculation:

To calculate the y-intercept for the maximum slope line, plug in all known values – T,

mmax, and lt, and solve as follows:

To solve for bmax, the y-intercept,

Start with the new equation, where mmax is the newly calculated maximum slope (labeled

above), T is the period value, and lt is the transformed value of length.

T = mmax*lt + bmax

Plug in all known values,

14.26 = -53*(0.70) + bmax

Complete the multiplication, so the problem becomes only addition,

14.26 + 37.10 = bmax

Adding, to solve completely for bmax,

bmax = 51.36 s

And the final equation for the maximum slope line is T = -53(lt) + 51.36,

where lt is the transformed value of the original (l).

The minimum slope line also has a y-intercept, which must be calculated in much the

same way as the maximum slope line y-intercept:

Min line Y-intercept Calculation:

To solve for the bmin,

Start with the original equation, in which T is the period, mmin is the newly calculated

minimum slope, and lt is the transformed value of length, as such:

T = mmin*lt + bmin

Plug in the slope value,

T = -49(lt) + bmin

Plug in the values for Period and transformed length,

14.16 = -49*(0.72) + bmin

Complete the multiplication and addition to obtain the value,

bmin = 14.16 + 35.28 s = 49.44 s

Thus, the final equation for the minimum slope line is T = -49(lt) + 49.44

Uncertainty:

In this case, it is also necessary to calculate the uncertainty for the slope and y-intercept

of the function. This can easily be performed using the values for the maximum and

minimum slope lines, as follows:

To calculate the uncertainty for the slope,

Uslope = mmax – mmin / 2 = (-49 ms-1) – (-53 ms-1) / 2 = 2.0 ms-1

Uy-intercept = bmax – bmin / 2 = abs(51.36 – 49.44 / 2) = 0.96 s

Thus, the final equation, obtained from the graphical manipulation of the data, is:

T = (9.2 +/- 2.0)ms-1(l)-0.5 + (50.4 +/- 1.0)s

Conclusion:

The data appears to support the statement that the relationship between the length of the

pendulum and the super-period of the pendulum is, indeed, a power relationship. In fact, the

data seems to exhibit qualities of an inverse square-root function, as proved through the
transformations.

This may have a relation to the fact that the period of a single pendulum is inversely

related to the square-root of the length. Instead, however, there are two pendulums in a

complex pendulum system, which may account for the differences between the formulas.

The best-fitting equation for this specific set of data, derived from the calculations and

the graphical analysis of the data, is: T = (9.2 +/- 2.0)ms-1(l) + (50.4 +/- 1.0)s.

Errors and Limitations:

One of the many limitations that arose when conducting the experiment is the fact that

the entire complex pendulum would move when only trying one of the two in the system.

This was especially detrimental when attempting to measure the angle from which the

pendulum would be dropped. When trying to keep all things equal, this introduced some

uncertainty and error in the results, such that one could not be sure of the exact consistency of

the angle. Another problem that occurred with the angle is that the angle of the pendulum,

with respect to the vertical, was different from the angle of the string attached to the ceiling,

with respect to the vertical. Dropping the pendulum from an angle that may have been

slightly more or slightly less than the desired amount (45 degree with respect to the vertical)

introduced, as well some error that may have slightly skewed the results depending on if the

angle was more or less than desired. To minimize this, use a material that is less affected by

string, such as wood or thin metal. Tie the string around the new material and measure the

angle appropriately at that point.

Another error that arose while conducting the experiment came from the fact that the
strings were tied to other strings, which decreased the length of Pendulum 2. This may have

skewed the data by making the period longer or shorter, again depending on whether or not

the string was longer than Pendulum 1 or shorter than Pendulum 1. Something that could

have been erroneous was that the amount of string used to tie the mass to the end may not

have been the same, which could have an effect on the data that went unnoticed. In future

examples of this experiment, it is recommended that the amount of string used to tie the

masses is kept constant or measured, so that the data is not skewed and the results are

unambiguous.

Appendix A
Image 1:
Ceiling

1 m string 1 m string

1 m string; Length
X

Pendulum 1; Length Pendulum 2

P1

Masses;
59.00 g