How to Calculate Pendulum Period
What is Pendulum Period?
The period of a simple pendulum is the time for one complete oscillation (forward and back). For small angles, T = 2π√(L/g), where L is length and g is gravitational acceleration. Remarkably, period does not depend on the mass of the bob.
Step-by-Step Guide
- 1Period T = 2π × √(L / g)
- 2L = length of pendulum in metres
- 3g = 9.81 m/s² (Earth surface)
- 4Frequency f = 1 / T oscillations per second
Worked Examples
Input
Pendulum length 1m on Earth
Result
T = 2.006 seconds
2π × √(1/9.81) = 2.006s
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