My Math Forum "Simple Pendulum" problem

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 January 30th, 2015, 10:43 AM #1 Newbie   Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 11 Thanks: 0 "Simple Pendulum" problem Hi All! My google-fu is failing me -- These forums have always been awesome with my questions, so I appreciate any help you all can give me. I have a simple pendulum... i know the gravity (g), the length (L) and the period (the time it takes to travel from A to B and back to A). Is there any possible way to figure out the angle theta? Well, to be more specific, theta when the pendulum is on it's outer-most position, before it starts swinging back the other way. Bonus Points! Can you figure out the length of the arc the bob travels? Last edited by sonicmouse; January 30th, 2015 at 10:48 AM.
 January 30th, 2015, 12:47 PM #2 Math Team   Joined: Jul 2011 From: Texas Posts: 2,723 Thanks: 1376 The period of oscillation does not depend on the angle $\displaystyle \theta$. The period will stay the same for any displacement angle $\displaystyle \theta$ that results in simple harmonic motion ($\displaystyle \theta$ less than approximately 15 degrees). The period of a simple pendulum exhibiting SHM depends only on the pendulum length and the acceleration due to gravity. $\displaystyle T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{L}{g}}$ Thanks from sonicmouse
 January 30th, 2015, 01:16 PM #3 Newbie   Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 11 Thanks: 0 ok, thanks -- I was thinking about it all wrong. I was thinking about a clock pendulum; where it swings back and forth with a consistent period. But that isn't technically the same thing, since the pendulum's swing is influenced by external forces (such as the main spring energy). Now I get it!

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# pendulum maths question

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