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A simple pendulum in a science museum entry hall is 3.59 m long, has a 1.25-kg bob at its lower end, and swings with an amplitude of 10.9 degrees. What is the period of the pendulum?

User Armatus
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Final answer:

The period of the simple pendulum can be calculated using the formula T = 2π√(L/g), where L is the length and g is the acceleration due to gravity. With a length of 3.59 m, and using g = 9.81 m/s², the period can be derived, indicating the time taken for one full swing of the pendulum.

Step-by-step explanation:

The period of a simple pendulum depends on the length of the pendulum and the acceleration due to gravity. Using the formula T = 2π√(L/g), where T is the period, L is the length of the pendulum, and g is the acceleration due to gravity, we can calculate the period of the pendulum in the question, which is 3.59 m long.

First, we input the standard acceleration due to gravity, which is approximately 9.81 m/s², and the length of the pendulum (3.59 m) into the formula:

T = 2π√(3.59 m / 9.81 m/s²)

The calculations result in the period T, which is how long it takes for the pendulum to complete one full swing back and forth. The mass of the pendulum bob and the amplitude of the swing are irrelevant for small amplitudes (less than 15°), according to the characteristics of a simple harmonic motion.

User Adam Genshaft
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