Activity Overview
In this activity students' will learn how to make a simple pendulum. Students' will use a motion detector to measure the period of a pendulum and calculate its acceleration.They will also understand the effect that gravity has on the motion of a pendulum and calculate the acceleration due to gravity.
Before the Activity
Connect the TI-73 to the CBL™ unit
Connect the motion sensor in the DIG/SONIC on the CBL 2
Download DataMate™ program
See the attached PDF file for detailed instructions for this activity
Print pages 75 - 80 from the attached PDF file for your class
During the Activity
Distribute the pages to your class.
Follow the Activity procedures:
Attach a simple pendulum to the ring stand using a 0.5 meter string
Position the motion detector aimed at the mass at the end of the pendulum
Pull the mass back 50 cm and release it
Graph data and record the time at the top of the first two peaks
Conduct a total of three trials
Repeat the same procedure for a pendulum with string length of 1.5 meters
Use the formula and calculate the acceleration due to gravity
After the Activity
Students' will complete Student Data Collection and Analysis Sheet.
Review student results
As a class, discuss questions that appeared to be more challenging
Re-teach concepts as necessary