Three experiments using a simple multiple pendulum in a gravitational field are presented. The first experiment shows the behavior of the period of the multiple pendulum as a function of its linear mass density. In the second experiment the linear mass density is fixed and the total length of the multiple pendulum is changed. It is shown experimentally that the period of a multiple pendulum lies between the period of a simple pendulum and the period of a rigid rod. The experimental results are compared with a theoretical approach using the Lagrangian formalism and numerical solutions.
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We used Mathematica 5.0 from Wolfram Research, ⟨http://www.wolfram.com/⟩.
© 2009 American Association of Physics Teachers.
2009
American Association of Physics Teachers
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