Tips for Teachers Pendulum Lab
Intro Screen
Play with one or two pendulums and discover which variables (such as length, mass, gravity, or angle)
affect the period.
SEE the initial
angle ADJUST the
length and mass
DISCOVER the
period with
Period Trace
INVESTIGATE
the effects of
COMPARE two friction
pendulums
Energy Screen
Explore the energy in the system in real-time and discover the conservation of mechanical energy.
SELECT the
pendulum
OBSERVE the
energy in the
system in real- PAUSE the sim
time to set up an
experiment;
JUMP forward
VIEW the legend by 0.01 seconds
ZOOM to adjust
the scale
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Lab Screen
Measure the period precisely and view the velocity and acceleration throughout the pendulum’s swing.
OBSERVE the
vectors CONTROL
gravity;
DETERMINE the
MEASURE the gravity on a
time period mystery planet
precisely
STOP the motion
of the pendulum
Complex Controls
• The remove heat button in the Energy Graph will instantaneously remove the thermal
energy from the system. If friction is on, the thermal energy will still continue to
accumulate.
• When the energy is off-scale, an arrow will appear above the bar in the Energy Graph. To re-
scale the graph, zoom out until the arrows are no longer visible
Insights into Student Use
l
• Students may try to use the formula for the period of a pendulum, T = 2π /g , which is only valid in
the small-angle regime. Students can experiment using Jupiter or the Moon to discover what “small”
means or they might be able to conduct a literature search. Note that there is no absolutely clear
answer to this question — it depends on the level of precision maintained.
• When experimenting, it may be helpful to rst pause the sim and then set up the experiment.
• The purpose of the ruler is to set the scale. Students generally use the ruler to verify that the length is
measured to the pendulum’s center of mass.
Customization Options
Query parameters allow for customization of the simulation, and can be added by appending a '?' to the
sim URL, and separating each query parameter with a ‘&’. The general URL pattern is:
…html?queryParameter1&queryParameter2&queryParameter3
For example, in Pendulum Lab, if you only want to include the 1st and 2nd screens (screens=1,2),
with the 2nd screen open by default (initialScreen=2) use:
[Link]
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To run this in Spanish (locale=es), the URL would become:
[Link]
Query Parameter and Description Example Links
screens - speci es which screens are included in screens=1
the sim and their order. Each screen should be
separated by a comma. For more information, visit screens=2,1
the Help Center.
initialScreen - opens the sim directly to the initialScreen=1
speci ed screen, bypassing the home screen. initialScreen=3
locale - specify the language of the simulation locale=es (Spanish)
using ISO 639-1 codes. Available locales can be locale=fr (French)
found on the simulation page on the Translations
tab. Note: this only works if the simulation URL
ends in “_all.html”.
allowLinks - when false, disables links that allowLinks=false
take students to an external URL. Default is true.
Model Simpli cations
• As you move the pendulum, the angles are constrained to be an exact integer number of degrees.
• The potential energy is relative to the resting point of the mass, so pendulums with different lengths will
have different zero-points.
• The Period Timer operates as a triggered mechanism (photogate), which starts when the pendulum
crosses the vertical dotted line. The period will be displayed after one cycle.
• If a parameter (e.g. gravity, mass) is changed mid-swing, the instantaneous length, mass, angle, and
tangential velocity will be used as the new initial conditions for the equation of motion. As a result, the
amplitude of the swing may be affected, and will no longer correspond to the tick mark on the
protractor.
• Friction is modeled as quadratic drag (Fdrag ∝ v2) which is valid in the high Reynold’s number limit
appropriate for macroscopic objects. Increasing the friction will increase the value of the drag
coef cient in the model.
• For more information about the drag force or the equation of motion, see Pendulum Lab Model.
Suggestions for Use
Sample Challenge Prompts
• Explain what the period of a pendulum represents.
• Determine a method to measure the period without using the Period Timer tool.
• Design a controlled experiment to (qualitatively or qualitatively) determine how a variable — such as
length, mass, gravity, or angle — affects the period.
• Estimate the speed of the pendulum from the Energy Graph (e.g. maximum, medium, or zero).
• Predict the position of the pendulum from the Energy Graph.
• Compare the period on Planet X to Earth. Which planet has a larger gravitational acceleration
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• Calculate the value of g on Planet X.
• Predict the direction and magnitude of the velocity vector at various points along the swing.
• Determine what constitutes a “small” angle. (Note that the answer depends on the desired level of
precision.)
See all published activities for Pendulum Lab here.
For more tips on using PhET sims with your students, see Tips for Using PhET.
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