Pendulum Activities

#$&*

course Phy 201

8/26 9

1. Pendulum dataGive your two pendulum counts and lengths. Lengths should be measured with the paper ruler you used in class.

length of first pendulum: 31.5cm one-minute count for first pendulum: 60 cycles

length of second pendulum: 15cm one-minute count for second pendulum: 82 cycles

#$&*

2. Number of cycles required for ball to roll down ramp:

first trial (ramp supported on west side of tabletop, wide end of ramp directed to west): 5.5 cycles

second trial (ramp supported on west side of tabletop, wide end of ramp directed to east): 5.0 cycles

third trial (ramp supported on east side of tabletop, wide end of ramp directed to west): 5.5 cycles

fourth trial (ramp supported on east side of tabletop, wide end of ramp directed to east): 5.5 cycles

#$&*

3. The tabletop is almost certainly not level. According you your information, do you think it is tilted toward the east or toward the west?

I think it is tilted towards the east.

#$&*

How is your answer related to your data, and with how much certainty do you think your conclusion is supported by your data?

I think it is tilted toward the east because I had a faster time when the ramp was supported on the west side of the tabletop. I don't really think my data is very strongly supported because there are so many margins of error involved in this method of data collection.

#$&*

How do you think we could get data to test this question with more certainty?

A better way to measure how level the tabletop is would be to use a level. But if we were using another form of data collection, we could time the ball with a timer instead of using a pendulum - the timer would be more accurate than using my unpredictable hand.

#$&*

@&

Very good.

You are also the first student to respond.

*@