Aim & Big Idea
What is the aim of this experiment?
To investigate the effect of mass and length on the period of a pendulum.
When testing the effect of mass, what is the independent variable?
Mass
How many trials should you do?
At least three
Why must the pendulum swing freely?
So the motion is consistent and accurate
What does “period” mean in this experiment?
The time taken for one complete swing.
When testing the effect of mass, what is the dependent variable?
Period (time for one swing)
From where to where do you measure the length of the pendulum?
From the top of the string to the bottom of the mass
What should you start with in Part 1: largest or smallest mass?
Smallest mass
What 2 factors are we investigating in this prac (part 1 and part 2)?
Mass and length
When testing the effect of length, what is the independent variable?
Length of the string
What do you do after getting three trial times?
Calculate the average
How many swings do you time each trial?
Ten swings
Why do we only change one variable at a time?
To make it a fair test.
Name ONE controlled variable in this experiment.
Angle of release / length (in part I) / mass (in part II) / same setup
What must you record in the results table?
Mass/length, trial times, average, and period
Why do we time 10 swings instead of 1 swing?
To improve accuracy / reduce timing error
What are we trying to find out about mass and length?
How they affect the period of the pendulum.
Why must the angle of release stay the same?
So the test is fair and only one variable is changed.
If the average time for 10 swings is 15 seconds, how do you find the period?
Divide by 10 (Period = 1.5 s)
Explain ALL the steps needed to find the period of a pendulum from one set of trials.
Time 10 swings → repeat 3 times → calculate the average time for 10 swings → divide by 10 to get the period.