Kater’s pendulum

Objective: To determine the value of ‘g’ at NISER using a reversible pendulum.

Apparatus: A reversible pendulum, knife edges, support stands, photodetector/stop watch,

measuring tape/scale.

Theory:

A physical pendulum is a rigid body swing in a vertical plane about any horizontal axis
passing through the body. The resultant force acts through the centre of mass. The time
period of oscillation of the physical pendulum is related to the moment of inertia I about the
point of suspension.

ூ
ܶ = 2ߨ ට
ெ௚௟
(1)

Where M is the mass of the rigid body and l is the separation between the point of suspension
and the centre of gravity. Using the parallel axis theorem the moment of inertia I can be
expressed in terms of the moment of inertia about the centre of gravity as

‫ ݇ܯ = ܫ‬ଶ + ‫ ݈ܯ‬ଶ
A
(2)
lA
Where k is the radius of gyration and this leads to an expression CG

௞ మ ା௟ మ
ܶ = 2ߨ ට
lB

௚௟
(3) B

The reversible pendulum (Kater’s Pendulum) has two pivot points on opposite
sides of the centre of gravity from which the pendulum can be suspended (as
shown in Fig. 1). lA and lB are the distance of the centre of gravity from pivot
Fig. 1
points A and B, respectively. Following Eq.(3), the time period about A and B
can be written as

ܶ஺ = 2ߨ ට ܶ஻ = 2ߨ ට
మ
௞ మ ା௟ಲ మ
௞ మ ା௟ಳ
௚௟ಲ ௚௟ಳ
and

If we adjust the length lA and lB such that TA = TB = T then by simple manipulation we can
obtain

(௟ಲ ା ௟ಳ )ೝ
ܶ = 2ߨ ට
௚
(4)

(௟ಲ ା ௟ಳ )ೝ
݃ = 4ߨ ଶ
்మ
(5)
Here (݈஺ + ݈஻ )௥ is the equivalent length of the pendulum, which satisfies the condition of
reversibility or in other words the period of oscillation around bearing sleeve A and B
become equal. Thus, Eq.(5) eliminates the need to locate the center of gravity or the radius of
gyration of the rigid body, which is a major of error inherent to the simple pendulum and bar
pendulum.

The Setup

The experimental set-up is illustrated in Fig.2. The knife edges

must be fixed at the same height so as to make sure the mass
of the pendulum will be distributed evenly over both bearing
points. Make sure that the table and the stage supporting the
knife edges do not move with the pendulum. The geometrical
length of the rod used as reversible pendulum is 75 cm to
which the bearing sleeves (referred as A and B) can be
screwed at a desired position. The time period T of the
pendulum is determined for small oscillating amplitudes with
the fork light barrier. The light barrier is operated in the
“period measurement” mode (switch shifted to the right side)
and situated at the point of maximum amplitude of the
pendulum. The time elapsed between two consecutive phases
is measured, when the pendulum just leaves the infrared beam.
This lapse of time is the period T at the point of maximum
amplitude, as long as the pendulum keeps covering the beam Fig. 2
while it reverses its trajectory.

Procedure:

In this experiment in order to find g, first we need to determine the equivalent length
(݈஺ + ݈஻ )௥ .

1. Throughout the experiment sleeve A is fixed at a distance of 7 – 10 cm from one end of

the pendulum. Position of sleeve B can be varied.
2. Adjust the bearing sleeve B so that the distance between the two sleeves, (݈஺ + ݈஻ ) is
roughly 45cm. Make sleeve A as the pivot point and record the time period TA about A.
3. Now turn the pendulum upside down and make sleeve B as the pivot point. Measure the
time period TB by varying the position of sleeve B (keeping position of sleeve A fixed)
such that (݈஺ + ݈஻ ) is between 34 cm and 60 cm, in steps of 2 cm (just because we

4. Plot the time period TB as a function of (݈஺ + ݈஻ ). Find the length (݈஺ + ݈஻ )௥ from the
already know that this range will work).

graph corresponding to T = TB = TA, as recorded in step-2. See Fig. 3 for reference.

5. Now to determine the value of T and (݈஺ + ݈஻ )௥ more accurately, record both TA and TB
about sleeves A and B as pivot points, respectively. Again, position of sleeve A remains
fixed and position of sleeve B is varied in the range (݈஺ + ݈஻ )௥ ± 3 cm with smaller
intervals of 0.3 cm.
 6. Plot TA and TB as a function of (݈஺ + ݈஻ ) on the same scale as shown in Fig. 4. Find T
and (݈஺ + ݈஻ )௥ at point of intersection of the two curves and calculate ‘g’ using Eqn.(5).

TB (sec)

T A(sec)

(lA+lB)r lA+lB (cm)

Fig. 3

Observations:

(I) (݈஺ + ݈஻ ) = 45 cm, TA = ………… sec

(II) Table 1: Data for TB ~ (݈஺ + ݈஻ ) graph

No. of Obs. (࢒࡭ + ࢒࡮ ) (cm) TB (sec)

1 34 ..
2 36 ..
.. .. ..
.. .. ..
.. 60 ..

(III) Table 2: Data for TA, TB ~ (݈஺ + ݈஻ ) graph

No. of Obs. (࢒࡭ + ࢒࡮ ) (cm) TA (sec) TB (sec)

.. .. .. ..
.. .. .. ..
.. .. .. ..
.. .. .. ..
.. .. .. ..
2
Graphs/Calculations: g = …………. cm/sec
Computation of proportional error:

ߜ݃ ߜ(݈஺ + ݈஻ )௥ ଶ ߜܶ ଶ
= ඨ൬ ൰ + ൬2 ൰
݃ (݈஺ + ݈஻ )௥ ܶ

Precautions:

References:

1. Practical physics: R.K. Shukla, Anchal Srivatsava

2. Kenneth. E. Jesse, American Journal of Physics, Vol. 48, Issue 9, pp.785 (1980)