Pendulum Lab
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Original Sim and Translations |
Topics
- Periodic Motion
- Simple Harmonic Motion
- Conservation of Energy
- Period
- Pendulum
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, the strength of gravity, and the amplitude of the swing. Observe the energy in the system in real-time, and vary the amount of friction. Measure the period using the stopwatch or period timer. 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 determine which variables affect the period of a pendulum
- Quantitatively describe how the period of a pendulum depends on these variables
- Explain the small-angle approximation, and define what constitutes a “small” angle
- Determine the gravitational acceleration of Planet X
- Explain the conservation of mechanical energy, using kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy
- Describe the Energy Graph from the position and speed of the pendulum
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 | Subject |
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| Pendulum Basics Inquiry |
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Trish Loeblein | MS | Lab | Physics |
| Pendulum Lab 2: Find g (Inquiry Based) |
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Trish Loeblein | UG-Intro HS |
HW | Physics Mathematics |
| Pendulum Lab 1: intro to pendulums (Inquiry Based) |
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Trish Loeblein | HS UG-Intro |
Lab HW |
Physics Mathematics |
| Swinging Physics Using Pendulum Phet |
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John Lewis and Michi Ishimoto | UG-Intro HS |
Lab Discuss |
Physics | |
| Pendulum investigation for Middle School |
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Jefferson County Middle School Workshop | MS | Lab | Physics Mathematics |
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| Alignment of PhET sims with NGSS |
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Trish Loeblein | HS | Other | Biology Chemistry Physics Earth Science |
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| MS and HS TEK to Sim Alignment | Elyse Zimmer | MS HS |
Other | Physics Biology Chemistry |
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| Mapping of PhET and IBDP Physics | Jaya Ramchandani | HS | Other | Physics | ||
| KE and PE using the Pendulum Lab | Judith Coburn | HS MS |
Lab | Physics | ||
| PhET Simulations Aligned for AP Physics C | Roberta Tanner | HS | Other | Physics | ||
| Qualitative Introduction to Energy | Steve Banasiak | HS MS |
Lab | Physics | ||
| KE and PE with the pendulum, Student | Don Loving | MS HS UG-Intro |
Lab Guided |
Physics | ||
| Pendulum Lab | Bunyamin Purkaya | MS | Lab | Physics | ||
| Matematičko njihalo | Anica Antolek Hrgar | HS | Guided | Physics | ||
| Mecânica (Atividades) nos OA's do PhET | Artur Araújo Cavalcante e Gilvandenys Leite Sales | MS UG-Intro Other Grad HS |
Guided Demo Other Lab HW Discuss |
Other Physics Earth Science |
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| Energia Mecânica (MHS) no Pendulum Lab (HTML5) | Artur Araújo Cavalcante e Gilvandenys Leite Sales | HS Other MS |
Guided HW Other |
Mathematics Other Earth Science Physics |
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| MHS para pêndulos e sistemas massa-mola | Artur Araújo Cavalcante e Gilvandenys Leite Sales | Other HS |
HW Guided Other |
Earth Science Physics Mathematics |
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| Cálculo da aceleração da gravidade (g) utilizando o pêndulo simples | Rodrigo Nogueira | Grad HS |
HW Lab Guided Discuss Demo |
Physics Earth Science |
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| Pendulo Simple | Uriel De Jesus Argel casarrubia | UG-Intro MS |
Guided Lab HW |
Physics | ||
| Longitud de un péndulo y su periodo. | Denis Salazar | MS UG-Intro HS |
Lab HW Guided Demo |
Mathematics Physics |
Browse legacy activities.
The new HTML5 sims can run on iPads and Chromebooks, as well as PC, Mac, and Linux systems.
iPad:
iOS 11+ Safari
iPad compatible sims
Android:
Not officially supported. If you are using the HTML5 sims on Android, we recommend using the latest version of Google Chrome.
Chromebook:
Latest version of Google Chrome
The HTML5 and Flash PhET sims are supported on all Chromebooks.
Chromebook compatible sims
Windows Systems:
Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer 11, latest version of Firefox, latest version of Google Chrome.
Macintosh Systems:
macOS 10.9.5+, Safari 9+, latest version of Chrome.
Linux Systems:
Not officially supported. Please contact phethelp@colorado.edu with troubleshooting issues.
| Design Team | Third-party Libraries | Thanks To |
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