Air table, blower, protractor, air puck on string

 

Code Number: 3A10.40

Demo Title: Variaible "g" Pendulum

Condition: Excellent

Principle: Potential to Kinetic Energy, Simple Harmonic Motion

Area of Study: Oscillations & Acoustics

Equipment: 

Air table, blower, protractor, air puck on string.

Procedure:

Tilt the air table to the desired angle.  Attach the air puck on a string to the upper side of the air table.  Set the pendulum in motion and time the oscillations either with a stop watch or photo gate.  Reset the angle and retime.

References:

  • Hubert Biezeveld, "The Period of a Swinging Rod in an Oscillating Frame of Reference", TPT, Vol. 50, # 9, Dec. 2012, p. 550.
  • David Schultz, "An Inexpensive, Multi-Purpose Physical Pendulum", TPT, Vol. 50, # 7, Oct. 2012, p. 436.
  • Jose Feliciano, "The Variable Gravity Pendulum", TPT, Vol. 36, # 1, p. 51 - 52, Jan. 1998.
  • Robert Ehrlich, "Air Table Experiments Without an Air Table", TPT, Vol. 23, # 2, Feb. 1985, p. 113 - 116.
  • John B. Kwasnoski and Richard S. Murphy, "The Classic Pendulum Experiment - On Jupiter or Saturn", AJP, Vol. 52, #1, Jan. 1984, p. 85.
  • David Kutliroff, "40, Pendulums - Dependency on 'g'", 101 Classroom Demonstrations and Experiments For Physics Teachers, p. 91.
  • David Kutliroff, "51, A Determination of 'g'", 101 Classroom Demonstrations and Experiments For Physics Teachers, p. 114.
  • David Kutliroff, "52, Using a Magnet to Simulate a Changing Gravitational Field and Illustrate its Effect on a Pendulum", 101 Classroom Demonstrations and Experiments For Physics Teachers, p. 116.
  • Roman Ya. Kerzerashvili, Alexander Sapozhnikov, "Abstract: Pendulum With Variable Acceleration", 2005 Apparatus Competition, Salt Lake City, UT.