Name:_______________________________Class:___________________Date:____________________

QuickLab

Energy of a Pendulum
Teachers Notes
TIME REQUIRED 15 minutes
TIPS AND TRICKS

For this lab to be effective, it is best to arrange the pendulum so that it transfers all
of its energy to the toy car and comes to rest after striking the car. This is best
achieved when the collision between the car and the bob is head-on and when the
mass of the bob is nearly equal to the mass of the car. Of course, the energy
transferred to the car will be quickly dissipated, in part because of the inelasticity
of the collision and in part because of friction on the wheels of the car. As a result,
the displacement of the car is only a very rough indication of the energy of the
pendulum.
MATERIALS

pendulum bob and string

tape
toy car

protractor
meterstick or tape measure

SAFETY

PROCEDURE

Tie one end of a piece of string around the pendulum bob, and use tape to secure it
in place. Set the toy car on a smooth surface, and hold the string of the pendulum
directly above the car so that the bob rests on the car. Use your other hand to pull
back the bob of the pendulum, and have your partner measure the angle of the
pendulum with the protractor.
angle of pendulum = Answers will vary.
Release the pendulum so that the bob strikes the car. Measure the displacement of
the car.
displacement of car = Answers will vary.
What happened to the pendulums potential energy after you released the bob?
The pendulums potential energy is converted to kinetic energy as the pendulum
bob swings toward equilibrium. Some of this kinetic energy is transferred to the
car during the collision.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor .

Holt McDougal Physics

Vibrations and Waves

Name:_______________________________Class:___________________Date:____________________

Energy of a Pendulum, continued

Repeat the process using different angles. How can you account for your results?
The kinetic energy of the pendulum at equilibrium increases as the pendulums
maximum displacement from equilibrium increases.

Original content Copyright by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.

Holt Physics

Vibrations and Waves

Name:_______________________________Class:___________________Date:____________________

QuickLab

Energy of a Pendulum
MATERIALS
pendulum bob and string
tape
toy car

protractor
meterstick or tape measure

SAFETY

PROCEDURE
Tie one end of a piece of string around the pendulum bob, and use tape to secure it in
place. Set the toy car on a smooth surface, and hold the string of the pendulum
directly above the car so that the bob rests on the car. Use your other hand to pull
back the bob of the pendulum, and have your partner measure the angle of the
pendulum with the protractor.

angle of pendulum = ___________________

Release the pendulum so that the bob strikes the car. Measure the displacement of the
car.
displacement of car = ___________________
What happened to the pendulums potential energy after you released the bob?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Repeat the process using different angles. How can you account for your results?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor .

Holt McDougal Physics

Vibrations and Waves