12/3/97
Goal: To see if the total energy of a swinging pendulum is conserved.
Introduction:
In this lab, you will use Videopoint and Graphical Analysis to analyze the motion of a swinging pendulum. Your goal is to determine the total energy (kinetic + potential) of the pendulum at two different locations during its swing, in order to decide if the total energy is conserved.
Reading: Cutnell and Johnson, Chapter 6
Procedure:
Since you have already used Videopoint and Graphical Analysis in several labs, detailed instructions on how to use them will not be given here. You are expected to decide how you will use the software to meet the goals of this lab. You should choose two points along the pendulum's path and determine the pendulum's kinetic, potential and total energies at those points.
The video clip of the pendulum can be downloaded on Netscape via the Physics FTP server. Access the NCSSM Academic Links home page at http://192.154.43.167. Click on the FTP Server button, then the physcal button, then choose pendulum, to find the list of pendulum movies. Click on a movie button and FTP the file to the ph110 directory on the C drive on your computer.
Analysis:
In addition to the usual components (goals, conclusions, etc.) of your lab report, you should include a description of whatever procedure you used to determine the kinetic and potential energies, as well as a comparison of the total energy of the pendulum at the two locations.
Be sure to include diagrams that clearly show which two points you chose and any graphs (hand-drawn ones would be acceptable) that you used in your analysis. You should also explain WHY the total energy of the pendulum should be conserved in this experiment.