Damped oscillatioms la

Student’s name:

Lab partners:

Date of experiment:

Section SLN:

TA’s name:

TA check point:

I. Objectives.

Slope of T2 vs. L plot =

II. Data.

Undamped oscillations – tennis ball.

Length L

Period T

m

s

TA check point:

Make a bar graph in GA to observe the relationship between period and amplitude.

Damped oscillations – Styrofoam ball.

TA check point:

III. Data Analysis.

Period of oscillations as a function of the pendulum length.

· Based on the slope of T2 vs. L plot the experimental gravitational acceleration was calculated as follows:

(Show equation and sample calculation)

· The uncertainty in the slope of T2 vs. L plot was propagated into the error in experimental gravitational acceleration as follows:

(Show equations and sample calculation)

· The relative discrepancy between the experimental gravitational acceleration and the expected 9.81 can be found as follows:

(Show equation and sample calculation)

Parameters of the damped oscillations.

(Explain how, based on the recorded data, the following parameters were estimated or calculated – show equations if necessary:

· angular frequency of the oscillations, ω,

· decay time, τ,

· quality factor, Q,

· damping constantn, b.

IV. Results.

Undamped oscillations – tennis ball.

Damped oscillations – Styrofoam ball.

V. Discussion & Conclusion.

(Follow the general directions given in the Syllabus and describing how the Discussion and Conclusion section should be composed. In particular explain the relationship you recorded between period and length. Conclude whether the period of oscillations depend on the amplitude Be sure to show your reasoning. Discuss if the parameters obtained by the eyeball method and curve fit are consistent with each other.

Explain the nature of errors and reasons for discrepancies between your experimental and theoretical results. Include a paragraph about what is called damped and undamped oscillations and where they can be observed in nature.

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