RP7-SHM

• Mass spring equipment: Spring, masses, mass holder, stand, clamp, stopwatch, fiducial marker.
• Mass spring set up: Hang spring off the stand, which should be clamped down, and attach an empty mass holder to the bottom. Position the fiducial marker to the bottom of the mass hanger.
• Mass spring method: Pull the mass hanger vertically down a few centimetres and release. Measure the time taken for ten complete oscillations and then divide by ten to find the time period. Add masses and repeat. Repeat the whole experiment twice more, and find the mean period.
• Mass spring graph: Plot a graph of T^2 against mass. The gradient will be (4 pi^2)/k.
• Mass spring analysis: T = 2 pi root(m/k) so T^2 = (4 pi^2 m)/k.
• Mass spring safety: Masses can fall off - only pull the spring a small amount and add padding underneath; stand can topple - clamp down or add a counterweight.
• Alternative experiments: Use a motion tracker and data logger to get a more accurate value in time period by eliminating random error.
• Pendulum equipment: String with weight, stand, clamp, fiducial marker, stopwatch.
• Pendulum set up: Hang the string off the stand, which should be clamped down. Attach a fiducial marker vertically behind the string at rest.
• Pendulum method: Measure the length of the string and displace it a small amount to the side and release. Measure the time taken for ten complete oscillations and then divide by ten to find the time period. Change the length of the string and repeat. Repeat the whole experiment twice more and calculate a mean period.
• Pendulum graph: Plot a graph of T^2 against length. The gradient will be (4 pi^2)/g.
• Pendulum analysis: T = 2 pi root (l/g) so T^2 = (4 pi^2 L)/g.
• Pendulum safety: Pendulum could hit someone - stay away while the pendulum is in motion.