What does the period of a normal pendulum depend on?

Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the factors affecting the period of a simple pendulum, particularly in a scenario where the pendulum's bob is negatively charged and oscillates above a positively charged plate. Participants are exploring how these conditions might influence the time period of the pendulum.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the dependence of the pendulum's period on the length of the string and the acceleration due to gravity (g). There is a consideration of whether the string is rigid or flexible, and how that might affect the period. Questions are raised about the implications of changing string length and the forces acting on the bob when displaced.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants offering insights and questioning assumptions about the rigidity of the string and its impact on the time period. Some participants suggest that if the string is rigid, the time period remains unchanged, while others explore the consequences of a flexible string.

Contextual Notes

There is an underlying assumption regarding the nature of the string and its potential to change length under tension, which is being debated. Additionally, the value of g is assumed to be 9.8, but its relevance in this context is questioned.

Dumbledore211
Messages
111
Reaction score
1

Homework Statement



If a simple pendulum has a metal bob having negative charge and is allowed to oscillate above a positively charged metallic plate will the time period increase, decrease, become zero or remain the same. Could you guys please give me an insight into what happens in the situation

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution

 
Physics news on Phys.org
What does the period of a normal pendulum depend on?
 
It depends basically on the length of the thread or the string and the value of g of the particular place. Since the tension will increase in this situation, won't the length of the string expand leading to an increase in the value of time period?
 
Last edited:
Well, that depends on whether you take the string to be rigid or not. Generally, at undergraduate level, if we consider a string that changes length, we explicitly say so. Otherwise, we assume a rigid string.

What can we replace g with here?
 
We can assume g to be 9.8. So, assuming that the string does change length, is my conjecture correct to some extent?
 
if the string is taken to be rigid then the time period will remain the same considering that everything remains unchanged.
 
Dumbledore211 said:
if the string is taken to be rigid then the time period will remain the same considering that everything remains unchanged.
What are the forces on the bob when the pendulum is displaced from the vertical? Do the usual free body diagram.
 

Similar threads

Foucault Pendulum at the North Pole
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
3K
Experiment to determine the time period of a pendulum
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
2K
Finding the period of a pendulum witha string that has mass
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
What Happens to a Pendulum's Period at 90 Degrees Inclination?
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
4K
Calculating the Period of a Simple Pendulum
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
4K
Change of Time period of a pendulum with additional mass
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Change in time period of pendulum
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
How does acceleration affect the period of a pendulum in an elevator?
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
5K
What is the Minimum Distance x for an Interrupted Pendulum to Wrap Around a Rod?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
4K
What is the period of a compound pendulum?
  • · Replies 31 ·
2
Replies
31
Views
8K