Question

A student must use an object attached to a string to graphically determine the gravitational field strength near Earth's surface. The student attaches the free end of the string to the ceiling and pulls the object-string system so that the string makes an angle of 5 degrees from the object's vertical hanging position. The student then releases the object from rest and uses a stopwatch to measure the time it takes for the object to make one complete oscillation. Which of the following is the next step that will allow the student to determine the gravitational field strength?

Answer 1

Calculate the time of one oscillation or the period (T) by dividing the total time by the number of oscillations you counted. Use your calculated (T) along with the exact length of the pendulum(L) in the above formula to find "g." This is your measured value for "g." Repeat the above procedure for 3 more cases.