Investigating pendulums – what matters?

In this investigation, students use simple equipment to scientifically determine the factors that influence the period of a pendulum.

By the end of this activity, students should be able to:

• describe the variables in a pendulum system

• describe why it is important to only change one variable at a time

• record data from an experiment

• state the experimental evidence used to decide which factors influence the period of a pendulum.

Pendulums – what matters?

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What really controls the timing of a pendulum? Using the simple equipment shown, find the answer.

Rights: The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato

Download the Word file (see link below).

Follow up this investigation with Pendulums – collecting and using data. Students collect, interpret and graph data, and use the graph to interpolate and extrapolate values.