Question

A group of students completed a simple experimental investigation. They investigated how the length of the string affects a pendulum’s swing. Which of the following is the independent variable in their experiment?

1. Same angle of release
2.Frequency of the swing
3.Number of washers
4.Length of string

Answer 1

The independent variable in a pendulum experiment when investigating the effect on a pendulum's swing is the length of the string. It primarily affects the period of the swing alongside the acceleration due to gravity.

Step-by-step explanation:

The independent variable in the experimental investigation of how the length of the string affects a pendulum’s swing is the length of the string. In a pendulum lab experiment, researchers may explore how the period of a simple pendulum depends on various factors such as string length, mass of the pendulum bob, and the amplitude of the swing. The period is known to be mostly independent of the mass and amplitude, especially for small angles, and depends primarily on the string length and the acceleration due to gravity. Therefore, when students are investigating the influence on the pendulum's swing, they are observing how changes in the string length, as the independent variable, affect the dependent variable, which is the frequency or period of the swing.