Final answer:
The kinetic energy data from the three pendulum experiments will only be the same if the pendula have the same length. The mass of the bob does not affect the pendulum's oscillatory motion, which is determined by the length of the pendulum and acceleration due to gravity. The pendulum's energy alternates between potential and kinetic energy as it swings.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question pertains to the kinetic energy of a pendulum as a function of time for three different experiments with varying pendulum lengths and masses. To determine whether the kinetic energy data will differ between the experiments, we must consider the factors influencing a pendulum's motion. The oscillatory motion of a pendulum is not influenced by the mass of the bob; rather, it depends on the length of the pendulum and the acceleration due to gravity. Since all pendula are released from the same angle and only the length and mass are varied, and since the mass does not affect the motion, the kinetic energy data will only be the same for pendula with the same length. If none of the experiments share the same pendulum length, then the answer is that the data collected from each experiment will be different (Option D).
As for the types of energy associated with the pendulum, at the highest point of its swing, the pendulum possesses maximum potential energy and minimal kinetic energy. At the lowest point in its swing, the potential energy is converted into kinetic energy. Therefore, the types of energy present in the pendulum during certain points in its oscillation are potential energy at the extreme points and both potential and kinetic energy at points in between.
It is also important to understand that a pendulum oscillates due to the restoring force arising from gravity, which acts to return the pendulum to its equilibrium position.