Pendulum Experiment

Name of the Experiment: The Pendulum Experiment

Performed by:________________________________________

Date:_________________________________________

The Problem: How does the amount of time it takes for a pendulum to swing back and forth compare to the how widely the pendulum swings?

The Hypothesis:

The Experiment: You will need a stop watch, a piece of thread 3 feet long, a metal washer, and a thumb tack. Tie the metal washer to the end of the thread. At the opposite end, tie a loop and tack the loop to an acceptable support, such as a door frame or the underside of a table. For each trial, determine the time it takes for a single swing (over and back) by timing 20 swings with a stopwatch, then divide the amount of time by 20. Try several trials. For trial #1 swing the pendulum widely (if you have a protractor handy, this would be about 30 degrees.) For trial #2 swing the pendulum less widely (about 10 degrees). For trial #3 swing the pendulum more widely (about 45 degrees). Record the times on the chart below.

Observations:

Trial #1

Trial #2

Trial #3

Interpretation:

Conclusion: