Experimental analysis of a physical pendulum with variable suspension point

TL;DR

This paper experimentally investigates a physical pendulum with a variable suspension point, measuring oscillation periods using multiple methods and comparing results with theoretical calculations based on inertia and Steiner's theorem.

Contribution

It introduces an experimental setup for analyzing a pendulum with variable suspension, combining smartphone-based measurements and traditional methods to validate theoretical models.

Findings

Smartphone methods yield accurate period measurements.

Experimental results agree with theoretical predictions.

Variable suspension affects oscillation period as expected.

Abstract

A physical pendulum with variable point of suspension (and, as an outcome, variable inertia moment) is experimentally analysed. In particular, the period of the small oscillations as a function of position of the suspension point is measured using three different methods: a smartphone used both as an independent tool or as a data-logger and commercial photo-gate. The experimental results are successfully compared with theoretical calculations based on the addition of inertia moments and the Steiner theorem.