• A simple pendulum is:
  • An object moving from side to side
  • Attached to a fixed point above
• The time period of a simple pendulum can also be calculated using this equation:

• Where:
  • l?is the length of the pendulum swing
  • g?is the strength of gravity on the planet on which the pendulum is set up

Step 1: Convert length to meters

200 cm = 2 m

Step 2: Substitute the correct values

Step 3: Confirm the answer

The time period of 1 oscillation of the swing is 2.84 s

• A mass-spring system means:
  • An object moving up and down
  • On the end of a spring

• The equation for the restoring force in SHM?F = - kx
  • is the same as the equation for?Hooke's Law
• The?time period,?T?can be calculated using the equation:

• Where:
  • m?is the mass of the object on the end of the pendulum
  • k?is the spring constant of the material the pendulum is made from

Observing the motion of a mass-spring system

• An experimental and graphical method can be used to observe the motion of a simple mass-spring system
  • Tie a pencil together with the mass and set the mass in free oscillations by displacing it downwards slightly

   

• The oscillations will move the pencil up and down
  • On a piece of graph paper, allow the pencil to trace the path of the oscillations by pulling the paper sideways as the mass-spring system oscillates up and down

   

• The oscillations will produce a curved, periodic graph
  • This will decrease in amplitude as the mass-spring system slows down

The motion of oscillator can be observed through a simple mass and spring system