Lab Report

Physics 215 October 30, 2013 Experiment 9 Simple Harmonic Motion Sosena Aseffa The variable for the pendulum include: Length of string Amplitude Mass of the pendulum bob The variables for the mass-spring system include: Amplitude Mass suspended Spring

Introduction
Harmonic motion is a periodic back and forth motion that obeys Hookes Law. We will take a look at a pendulum and a mass-spring system to determine what effects their period. A period is the time (in seconds) it takes to complete one cycle.

Experimental procedure
Collect the following equipment: Support rod and clamp One brass spring and one steel balance Timer Meter stick One wooden ball and one brass ball Set of masses Part A Start of by determining the mass of each ball to be used as a pendulum bobs. Create a pendulum with a 100cm string with the brass ball attached. Set the amplitude at 10cm apart using a meter stick. After you release the ball divide the number of cycle by one minute to determine the frequency. Use equation 2 to figure out the period. Repeat the same procedure with 20 cm amplitude. Than change the brass ball to the wooden ball and repeat the procedure using 10cm amplitude. Calculate the acceleration due to gravity using equation 3. Below is a model of a pendulum.

Theory
Harmonic motion must be periodic and follow Hooks Law. F=Kx Equation 1 F is the magnitude of the restoring force K is a constant X is the amplitude Period of a harmonic motion: T=1/f Equation 2 T is the period in seconds and f is frequency in hertz. The period of a pendulum that is undergoing harmonic motion: T=2pi square root of L/g Equation 3 L is the length of the pendulum and g is acceleration due to gravity. Pi =3.14 The period of a mass on a spring: T=2pi Square root of m/k Equation 4 K is the spring/force constant (obtained using Hookes law) and m is the mass being suspended by the spring.

Part B Measure the length of the brass spring before and after attaching a 500 gram mass. Calculate the displacement distance by subtracting the initial length from the final, and the restoring force using the mass value, g (9.80 m/s square), and the spring constant. Repeat the same procedure for the steel spring.

Part C Hang 500 grams mass on the brass spring and pull it down to 5cm amplitude. Count the number of cycles in one minute and repeat with 10 cm amplitude. Calculate the frequency and period. Change the mass to 1000 grams, and repeat this experiment using only 5 cm amplitude. Next use the steel spring, and 5cm amplitude and count the number of frequency. Determine the frequency using the k value found in part B, and equation 4.

Data/ Analysis
Part A Pendulum bob Brass Ball Brass Ball Brass Ball Wooden Ball Length (cm) 100. 100. 50. 50. Amplitude (cm) 10. 20. 10. 10. Frequency (Hz) 0.5 0.48 0.68 0.68 Period (s) 60 60 60 60 G (cm/s square) 157.08 144.76 145.4 145.4

Brass ball: 66.5 grams Wooden ball: 6.4 grams f=# of cycle/60 sec f= 30/60 f=0.5 g=L(2pi)/T square g=100(2pi)/(1/0.5) square g= 157.08

f: frequency g: acceleration due to gravity T; period (1/f) L: length

Part B Spring

Initial length Li (m) 0.43 0.23

Final length Lf (m) 1.06 0.45

Displacement Mass m x=(Lf-Li) (kg) (m) 0.63 0.22 0.5 0.5

Restoring force F=mg (N) 4.9 4.9

Brass Steel

Spring constant k=F/x (N/m) 7.78 22.27

Displacement: x=(Lf-Li) x=(1.06-0.43) x=0.63 Restoring force: F=mg F=0.5 x9.8 F=4.9 Spring constant: k=F/x k=4.9/0.63 k=7.78 Part c Spring Brass Brass Brass Steel Mass (g) 500. 500. 1000. 500.

x: displacement Lf: Final length Li: Initial length F: restoring force m: mass g: acceleration due to gravity k: spring constant

Amplitude (cm) 5.0 10.0 5.0 5.0

Frequency (Hz) 0.63 0.62 0.47 1.2

Period (s) 60 60 60 60

Frequency (Equ. 4) 1.59 1.59 2.25 0.99

Frequency: T=2pi square root of m/k T=2pi square root of .500 kg/7.78 T=1.59

Discussion of results
The period does not depended on the mass of the pendulum bob, but it depends on the length of the pendulum. The shorter the pendulum the higher the frequency becomes. The amplitude of the pendulum makes very little change in the period. This answer is consistent with equation 3. The steel spring is stronger than the brass spring. The period of the spring does not depend on the amplitude. It depends on the mass and spring constant. Period increases as the mass increases, and increase in spring constant decrease in period. The measurement

Conclusion
A lot of errors in this experiment come from measurement, counting the cycles, and calculation. Repeating the experiment three times and getting an average might be time consuming but it will definitely decrease the percent error. The method is accurate because my values are consistence with my equation. We need to be extra careful on calculation, and we had to redo some. In the future, the device needs to have less friction.