Pendulum Lab
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About
Topics
- Pendulum
- Periodic Motion
Description
Play with one or two pendulums and discover how the period of a simple pendulum depends on the length of the string, the mass of the pendulum bob, and the amplitude of the swing. It's easy to measure the period using the photogate timer. You can vary friction and the strength of gravity. Use the pendulum to find the value of g on planet X. Notice the anharmonic behavior at large amplitude.
Sample Learning Goals
- Design experiments to describe how variables affect the motion of a pendulum
- Use a photogate timer to determine quantitatively how the period of a pendulum depends on the variables you described
- Determine the gravitational acceleration of Planet X
- Explain the Conservation of Mechanical Energy concept using kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy
- Describe Energy Chart from position or selected speeds.
For Teachers
Teacher Tips
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Overview of sim controls, model simplifications, and insights into student thinking (PDF). |
Teacher-Submitted Activities
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Authors | Level | Type | Updated |
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| Concept questions for Physics using PhET (Inquiry Based) |
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Trish Loeblein | UG-Intro HS |
CQs | 5/27/15 |
| Algebra-based Physics Semester one lessons, clicker questions, and schedule in pdf (Inquiry Based) |
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Trish Loeblein | UG-Intro HS |
CQs Demo HW Lab |
5/27/15 |
| Pendulum Lab 1: intro to pendulums (Inquiry Based) |
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Trish Loeblein | UG-Intro HS |
CQs Lab HW |
7/7/13 |
| Pendulum Lab 2: Find g (Inquiry Based) |
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Trish Loeblein | UG-Intro HS |
HW | 7/7/13 |
| Pendulum Basics Inquiry |
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Trish Loeblein | MS | Lab | 7/5/13 |
| Pendulum investigation for Middle School |
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Jefferson County Middle School Workshop | MS | Lab | 9/2/15 | |
| Swinging Physics Using Pendulum Phet |
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John Lewis and Michi Ishimoto | HS UG-Intro |
Discuss Lab |
7/21/15 | |
| Alignment of PhET sims with NGSS |
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Trish Loeblein | HS | Other | 10/19/15 | |
| How do PhET simulations fit in my middle school program? |
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Sarah Borenstein | MS | Other | 10/19/15 | |
| Pendulum Lab Learning Goals by design team (Inquiry Based) |
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Trish Loeblein, Mike Dubson | Other | Other | 7/7/13 | |
| MS and HS TEK to Sim Alignment | Elyse Zimmer | HS MS |
Other | 10/19/15 | ||
| Pendulum variables | Jefferson County Middle School Workshop | MS | Lab | 9/2/15 | ||
| Kinematics | Wang Yunhe | HS | Lab | 8/18/15 | ||
| PhET Simulations Aligned for AP Physics C | Roberta Tanner | HS | Other | 8/12/15 | ||
| The Pendulum PhET Lab | Chris Bires | HS | Lab | 12/12/14 | ||
| Pendulum Lab COV Investigations | Alicia Ferrill | K-5 MS |
Lab CQs Demo HW |
3/9/14 | ||
| Pendulum Lab | Orkida Dedushi | MS | Lab | 3/9/14 | ||
| Simple Pendulum | Jay Gregorio | UG-Intro HS MS |
CQs Lab HW |
8/25/12 | ||
| Pendulum Energy | Denise Wetli | UG-Intro | Lab | 11/3/11 | ||
| Pendulum Lab | gayle bari | HS | Lab | 11/8/10 | ||
| 8th Grade Science teacher | Richard Ballard | MS | Lab | 12/2/09 | ||
| Determination of Gravitational Acceleration | Roberto Marrero | HS | Lab | 10/11/09 | ||
| The pendulum lab - Period investigation | Geoff Phillips | HS | Lab | 4/28/09 | ||
| practicum laboratory test "pendulum"/ practicum toets "slingeren" | Peter Selen | HS | Lab | 5/12/14 | ||
| Waves and sound(in dutch golven en trillingen) | Corné de Boer | HS | Demo | 4/11/12 | ||
| La mesure du temps | Moreau Gwenael | MS | Lab | 12/23/10 | ||
| Laboratorio de Péndulo Simple | Leonardo Correa | Grad MS |
HW Demo Lab |
4/13/14 | ||
| Laboratorio del péndulo simple | Orlando E González Pérez | Grad | HW | 9/25/14 |
Translations
Software Requirements
| Windows | Macintosh | Linux |
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Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/7 Macromedia Flash 9 or later
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OS 10.5 or later Macromedia Flash 9 or later
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Macromedia Flash 9 or later
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Credits
| Design Team | Third-party Libraries | Thanks To |
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