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a physical pendulum consists of two meter sticks attached at their ends, forming a v shape. if the angle between the two sticks is 45° and they oscillate about the point where they are joined, what is the period of their oscillations?

User Bigblind
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Final answer:

The period of oscillation for the V-shaped physical pendulum cannot be determined with the given information alone; specifics like the moment of inertia and mass distribution are required. Unlike a simple pendulum, the period of a physical pendulum also depends on its mass and shape.

Step-by-step explanation:

The period of oscillation for a physical pendulum, like the V-shaped meter sticks setup, can be determined using the formula for a physical pendulum, as opposed to a simple pendulum. The oscillation period depends on factors such as the moment of inertia and the distance from the pivot point to the center of mass. The physical pendulum differs from a simple pendulum, which can be approximated as a point mass on a string and follows a slightly different formula for the oscillation period. Since a simple pendulum's period is only affected by the length of the tether and gravity, and is independent of mass, both pendula with different masses will oscillate with the same period if displaced by 12º.

To provide a specific answer to the original question, one would need the formulae and possibly extra information, such as the combined mass and moment of inertia of the meter sticks. Without the values for these variables, it's not possible to calculate the exact period. However, the key point is that the period of a physical pendulum cannot be found with just the length and angle given, unlike a simple pendulum where the formula T=2π√(length/gravity) can be used.

User Saff
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