Advertisements
Advertisements
Question
Show that motion of bob of the pendulum with small amplitude is linear S.H.M. Hence obtain an expression for its period. What are the factors on which its period depends?
Advertisements
Solution
To show the motion of the bob of the simple pendulum is S.H.M:

1) Consider a simple pendulum of mass ‘m’ and length ‘L’.
L = l + r,
where, l = length of string
r = radius of bob
2) Let OA be the initial position of pendulum and OB, its instantaneous position when the string makes an angle Θ with the vertical.
In displaced position, two forces are acting on the bob:
a. Gravitational force (weight) ‘mg’ in the downward direction.
b. Tension T' in the string.
3) Weight ‘mg’ can be resolved into two rectangular components:
a. Radial component mg cos Θ along OB and
b. Tangential component mg sin Θ perpendicular to OB and directed towards mean position.
4) mg cos Θ is balanced by tension T' in the string, while mg sin Θ provides restoring force.
∴ F = - mg sin Θ
where, negative sign shows that force and angular displacement are oppositely directed. Hence, restoring force is proportional to sin Θ instead of Θ. So, the resulting motion is not S.H.M.
5) If Θ is very small then,
sin Θ ≈ Θ = `x/L`
∴ F = `-"mg" x/L`

Hence, the motion of the bob of a simple pendulum is simple harmonic.
Expression for the time period:
In S.H.M,
a = - ω2 x ….(2)
Comparing equations (1) and (2),

Equation (3) represents the time period of the simple pendulum. Thus the period of a simple pendulum depends on the length of the pendulum and acceleration due to gravity.
APPEARS IN
RELATED QUESTIONS
The period of a conical pendulum in terms of its length (l), semi-vertical angle (θ) and acceleration due to gravity (g) is ______.
If the metal bob of a simple pendulum is replaced by a wooden bob of the same size, then its time period will.....................
- increase
- remain same
- decrease
- first increase and then decrease.
When the length of a simple pendulum is decreased by 20 cm, the period changes by 10%. Find the original length of the pendulum.
A spring having with a spring constant 1200 N m–1 is mounted on a horizontal table as shown in Fig. A mass of 3 kg is attached to the free end of the spring. The mass is then pulled sideways to a distance of 2.0 cm and released.

Determine (i) the frequency of oscillations, (ii) maximum acceleration of the mass, and (iii) the maximum speed of the mass.
The acceleration due to gravity on the surface of moon is 1.7 ms–2. What is the time period of a simple pendulum on the surface of moon if its time period on the surface of earth is 3.5 s? (g on the surface of earth is 9.8 ms–2)
Answer the following questions:
A time period of a particle in SHM depends on the force constant k and mass m of the particle: `T = 2pi sqrt(m/k)` A simple pendulum executes SHM approximately. Why then is the time
Answer the following questions:
What is the frequency of oscillation of a simple pendulum mounted in a cabin that is freely falling under gravity?
A clock regulated by seconds pendulum, keeps correct time. During summer, length of pendulum increases to 1.005 m. How much will the clock gain or loose in one day?
(g = 9.8 m/s2 and π = 3.142)
Define practical simple pendulum
Show that, under certain conditions, simple pendulum performs the linear simple harmonic motion.
If the particle starts its motion from mean position, the phase difference between displacement and acceleration is ______.
A simple pendulum has a time period of T1 when on the earth's surface and T2 when taken to a height R above the earth's surface, where R is the radius of the earth. The value of `"T"_2 // "T"_1` is ______.
If the maximum velocity and acceleration of a particle executing SHM are equal in magnitude, the time period will be ______.
A particle executing S.H.M. has a maximum speed of 30 cm/s and a maximum acceleration of 60 cm/s2. The period of oscillation is ______.
When will the motion of a simple pendulum be simple harmonic?
The length of a second’s pendulum on the surface of earth is 1 m. What will be the length of a second’s pendulum on the moon?
Find the time period of mass M when displaced from its equilibrium position and then released for the system shown in figure.

A body of mass m is situated in a potential field U(x) = U0 (1 – cos αx) when U0 and α are constants. Find the time period of small oscillations.
Consider a pair of identical pendulums, which oscillate with equal amplitude independently such that when one pendulum is at its extreme position making an angle of 2° to the right with the vertical, the other pendulum makes an angle of 1° to the left of the vertical. What is the phase difference between the pendulums?
A simple pendulum of time period 1s and length l is hung from a fixed support at O, such that the bob is at a distance H vertically above A on the ground (Figure). The amplitude is θ0. The string snaps at θ = θ0/2. Find the time taken by the bob to hit the ground. Also find distance from A where bob hits the ground. Assume θo to be small so that sin θo = θo and cos θo = 1.

In the given figure, a mass M is attached to a horizontal spring which is fixed on one side to a rigid support. The spring constant of the spring is k. The mass oscillates on a frictionless surface with time period T and amplitude A. When the mass is in equilibrium position, as shown in the figure, another mass m is gently fixed upon it. The new amplitude of oscillation will be:

A pendulum of mass m and length ℓ is suspended from the ceiling of a trolley which has a constant acceleration a in the horizontal direction as shown in the figure. Work done by the tension is ______.
(In the frame of the trolley)

A particle at the end of a spring executes simple harmonic motion with a period t1, while the corresponding period for another spring is t2. If the period of oscillation with the two springs in series is T, then ______.
If the mass of the bob in a simple pendulum is increased to thrice its original mass and its length is made half its original length, then the new time period of oscillation is `x/2` times its original time period. Then the value of x is ______.
