Bar Pendulum Experiment

Bar Pendulum Experiment
EXPERIMENT-5
OBJECTIVES
 To determine the value of acceleration due to

gravity
 To determine radius of gyration using bar
pendulum
APPARATUS
 Bar Pendulum
 Stop Watch
 Meter Scale
Acceleration due to Gravity - g
• All bodies – big or small – fall freely when dropped, with the same (uniform) acceleration,
if the resistance due to air is negligible. The gravitational attraction of a body towards the
center of the earth results in the same acceleration for all bodies at a particular location,
irrespective of their mass, shape or material, and this acceleration is called the
acceleration due to gravity, g.
• The value of g varies from place to place, being greatest at the poles and the least at the
equator.
• Because this value is large, bodies fall quickly to the surface of the earth when dropped,
and so it is very difficult to measure their acceleration directly with considerable accuracy.
• Therefore, the acceleration due to gravity is often determined by indirect methods – for
example, using a simple pendulum or a compound pendulum.
Bar Pendulum
A bar pendulum is the simplest form of compound pendulum. It is in the form of

a rectangular bar (with its length much larger than the breadth and the
thickness) with holes (for fixing the knife edges) drilled along its length at equal
separation.
If a bar pendulum of mass M oscillates with a very small amplitude θ about a
horizontal axis passing through it, then its angular acceleration is proportional to
the angular displacement θ. The motion is simple harmonic and the time period
T is given by –
where I denotes the moment of inertia of the pendulum

about the horizontal axis through
its center of suspension and l is the distance between
the center of suspension and center
of gravity (C.G.) of the pendulum.
A bar pendulum is the simplest form of compound
pendulum. It is in the form of a
rectangular bar (with its length much larger than the
breadth and the thickness) with holes
(for fixing the knife edges) drilled along its length at
equal separation.
Bar Pendulum
Knife Edge
THEORY
I is the moment of inertia about the point of suspension.

Þ I = Ig + Ml2 (by Parallel Axis theorem)
Þ I = Mk2 + Ml2
Þ Ig = Mk2 (k=radius of gyration)
=>
2
2
=> Put
=>
Radius of Gyration - k
 Radius of gyration of a body about the axis of rotation is defined as the radial

distance to a point which would have a moment of inertia the same as the body's
actual distribution of mass, if the total mass of the body were concentrated
there.
2
 Simplifying this equation, we get
This is a quadratic equation in having two roots. If l1 and l2 are the two values of
then by the theory of quadratic equations we have
l1 is the distance between C.G and Point of suspension.
l2 is the distance between C.G and center of oscillation.

PROCEDURE
 Balance the bar on a sharp wedge and mark the position of its C.G.
 Fix the knife edges in the outermost holes at either end of the bar pendulum. The
knife edges should be horizontal and lie symmetrically with respect to center of gravity
of the bar.
 Check with spirit level that the glass plates fixed on the suspension wall bracket are
horizontal. The support should be rigid.
 Suspend the pendulum vertically by resting the knife edge at end A of the bar on the
glass plate.
 Displace the bar slightly to one side of the equilibrium position and let it oscillate with
the amplitude not exceeding 5 degrees.
• Use the stop watch to measure the time for 20 oscillations. The time
should be measured after the pendulum has had a few oscillations
and the oscillations have become regular.
• Measure the distance l from C.G. to the knife edge.
• Record the results in Table 1. Repeat the measurement of the time
for 20 oscillations and take the mean.
• Suspend the pendulum on the knife edge of side B and repeat the
measurements.
• Fix the knife edges successively in various holes on each side of C.G.
and in each case , measure the time for 30 oscillations and the
distance of the knife edges from C.G.
• Plot a graph showing how the time period T depends on the distance
from the center of suspension to C.G. (l), taking C.G. as L = 0 and one
side of the C.G. as +ve and opposite –ve.
OBSERVATIONS
T=t/20 s T=t/20 s
CALCULATIONS
• Plot the graph of distance of the hole from the

center of gravity versus the time period of
oscillation.
• Draw a line parallel to the distance axis along any
suitable value of time period (C).
• This line intersects the plot at points A, B, D and E.
• For A as the center of suspension, D is the center of
oscillation.
• Similarly, for E as the center of suspension, B is the
center of oscillation
AD and BE are the effective length of the Compound

pendulum (L) i.e. it is the length of a simple
pendulum having the same time period.
o We can calculate the acceleration due to gravity using the formula-
Where T is the time period at C (T0)

L = Mean of AD and BE = (AD + BE)/2
Repeat the calculation for another value of T at C’ (T1)
L = Mean of A’D’ and B’D’ = (A’D’ + B’D’)/2
Take mean value of the results to get the final value for g.
o We can calculate radius of gyration using the formula-
l1 = ½(AE)
l2 = ½(BD)
ERROR ESTIMATION
Taking log both sides and differentiating , we get
Where ∆L and ∆T are least counts of

distance and time axes of the graph
=> Error = between time period and distance
from center of gravity
PRECAUTIONS
 Edge of the knife-edge should be properly placed on the glass plate to provide
free movement of the pendulum.
 Motion of pendulum should be in a vertical plane. While taking the time to start
taking observations after 2 oscillations to avoid any irregularity of motion.
 The amplitude of oscillation should be small

Bar Pendulum Experiment

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Bar Pendulum Experiment

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Bar Pendulum Experiment

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Bar Pendulum Experiment

 To determine the value of acceleration due to

A bar pendulum is the simplest form of compound pendulum. It is in the form of

where I denotes the moment of inertia of the pendulum

I is the moment of inertia about the point of suspension.

 Radius of gyration of a body about the axis of rotation is defined as the radial

l1 is the distance between C.G and Point of suspension.

l2 is the distance between C.G and center of oscillation.

• Plot the graph of distance of the hole from the

AD and BE are the effective length of the Compound

Where T is the time period at C (T0)

o We can calculate radius of gyration using the formula-

Taking log both sides and differentiating , we get

Where ∆L and ∆T are least counts of

You might also like