Applied Physics-I

Experiment No: 2

Aim: To plot a graph between the distances of knife edge from the center of gravity (C.G.)
and the time period of bar pendulum. From the graph, find
(a) Acceleration due to gravity (g)
(b) Radius of gyration (K) and
(c) Moment of inertia (I) of the bar pendulum.

Apparatus: Bar pendulum with holes, knife edges with bolts, rigid support, meter scale and
stopwatch.

Theory:

Acceleration due to gravity: Earth attracts bodies lying on or near its surface towards its centre
with a constant acceleration g known as acceleration due to gravity. The value of this
acceleration is 9.8 m/sec2. The value of g varies from place to place on the surface of the earth,
being greater on the poles than on the equator, greater at sea-level than on the mountain tops.

Simple pendulum: The acceleration due to gravity can be easily determined with a simple
pendulum. It consists of a heavy mass suspended by a weightless, inextensible and perfectly
flexible string fixed from a point about which the pendulum oscillates without friction.

If the amplitude is small, the time period (t) of a simple pendulum of length (L) is given by:

Compound Pendulum: A compound pendulum consists of a rigid body which can oscillate freely
about a horizontal axis passing through it. The time period t of a compound pendulum is given
by:

where l is the distance of the point of suspension O from the centre gravity G and K is the radius
of gyration about an axis through the centre of gravity.

A simple pendulum having the same time period as a compound pendulum is called an
equivalent simple pendulum and its length measures the equivalent length (L).

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Figure 1: Compound Pendulum having centre of oscillation (C), centre of suspension (O), and centre of
gravity (G).

The point C at a distance equal to the length of an equivalent simple pendulum from the point of
suspension (O) on the straight line passing through the centre of gravity (C.G.) is called centre of
oscillation. The time period of the compound pendulum about a horizontal axis through C is the same as
that about O. The centre of suspension and the centre of oscillation are thus interchangeable.

In fact there are four points two on either side of the centre of gravity (C.G.) and collinear with it about
which the period of time the pound pendulum is the same. If we select two points on either side of C.G
but not equidistant from it, then one of these corresponds to the centre of suspension and the other to the
centre of oscillation. If the distance of one of these from the centre of gravity is l 1 that of the other is l2,
then:

Equivalent length L = l1 + l2

The time period of a compound pendulum is:

where K is the radius of gyration of the compound pendulum.

The time period of the compound pendulum is minimum when the distance of the point of
suspension from C.G. is equal to the radius of gyration.

A bar pendulum is a rectangular bar with holes drilled along its length at equal separation. The

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holes are used to fix knife edges. The bar pendulum is the simplest form of a compound
pendulum.

Figure 2: The Bar Pendulum

If a graph is plotted between the distance of knife-edges from the centre of gravity taken along
the x-axis, and the corresponding time period taken along the y-axis for the bar pendulum then
the shape of graph is as shown in Figure 3:

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Figure 3: Plot showing the variation of distance of knife-edges from the centre of gravity as a
function of corresponding time-period (t).

If a horizontal line ABCDE is drawn, it cuts the graph at points A, B, D, E, about which the time
period is same. The points A and D or B and E lie on opposite sides of the centre of gravity at
unequal distances, such that the time period about these points is the same. Hence, one of these
corresponds to centre of oscillation and other the centre of suspension. The distance AD or BE
gives the equivalent length of the simple pendulum (L).
The time period (t) is defined as:

The acceleration due to gravity (g) is defined as:

The radius of gyration (K) is defined as:

The moment of inertia (I) is defined as:

I =Mk2

where M is the mass of the bar pendulum.

Procedure:

1) For the Bar Pendulum, the center hole of bar works as center of gravity (C.G.) for this pendulum
(it should be same number of holes on either side of center of gravity)
Note: Take one side as A and another side as B of center of gravity.
2) Mount the Pendulum on the stand using knife edge and two nuts.
3) Now pendulum is ready for oscillation to determine the time of oscillations.
4) Set the pendulum into oscillation and allow it to make a few oscillations so that these become
regular. Count when the pendulum is passing through the same position and same direction.
Number of oscillations should be fixed for every position in bar pendulum (Suppose for 20
oscillations).
5) Start stopwatch when you start oscillations. Take the time for particular number of oscillations.
6) When the number of oscillations is completed, stop the stopwatch.
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7) Record the time ‘t’ in table given below.
8) Repeat the above procedure by suspending the bar from the successive holes. On reaching the
center of gravity, the bar is turned upside down. Continue till the last hole at the other end is
reached. (except center hole of C.G.)
9) Now measure the distance between the C.G. and the center of hole at which bar is suspended.
Note: The knife-edges are always placed symmetrically with respect to C.G.
10) Plot the graph between the distance from C.G. and time period for both the sides A and B.
11) Take the Y-axis in the middle of the graph paper. Represent the distance from C.G. along the X-
axis and the time period along the Y-axis.
12) Plot the distance on the side A to the right and the distance on the side B to the left of the origin.

Observation Table:

For A side:

S.No. Distance from C.G (cm) Time for N=20 oscillations Time period
(sec)(T) (t = T/N)
(sec)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

For B side:

S.No. Distance from C.G (cm) Time for N=20 oscillations Time period
(sec)(T) (t= T/N)
(sec)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

From the graph,

S.No. Length of the equivalent simple pendulum (L) Time period t2 (L/ t2)
(cm) (t) (sec) (sec2) (cm/ sec2)
Mean L
(cm)
1. AD = BE =
2. FI = GJ =

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S.No. l1 (cm) l2 (cm) (in cm) Mean k (in m)

1. AC = CD =
2. CE = BC =
3. FH = HI =
4. HJ = GH =
5. PQ = QR =

Calculations:

= = m/s2

k = m

I = Mk2 = kgm2

where M=2 kg.

Result:

From the graph, the calculated value of:

(a) Acceleration due to gravity (g) is …………………….with percentage
error…………………

(b) Radius of gyration (k) is ……………………......................

(c) Moment of inertia (I) is ………………………………

Precautions:
1) The motion of the pendulum should be in a vertical plane. While taking the time, start
taking observations after two oscillations to avoid any irregularity of motion.
2) The amplitude of oscillation should be small.

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