What are the differences between a simple pendulum and a physical pendulum?
Simple Pendulum: Point mass on a massless string, period depends only on length. | Physical Pendulum: Rigid object with distributed mass, period depends on moment of inertia and mass distribution.
Compare and contrast torque and force.
Torque: Rotational force, causes angular acceleration, depends on the distance from the pivot point. | Force: Linear force, causes linear acceleration, independent of pivot point.
What are the differences between angular velocity and linear velocity?
Angular Velocity: Rate of change of angular displacement, measured in radians per second, describes rotational motion. | Linear Velocity: Rate of change of linear displacement, measured in meters per second, describes translational motion.
Compare and contrast moment of inertia and mass.
Moment of Inertia: Resistance to rotational motion, depends on mass distribution, $I = \sum mr^2$. | Mass: Resistance to linear motion, scalar quantity, intrinsic property of an object.
What are the differences between potential and kinetic energy in a pendulum?
Potential Energy: Energy due to position, $U = mgh$, maximum at maximum displacement. | Kinetic Energy: Energy due to motion, $K = \frac{1}{2}I\omega^2$, maximum at equilibrium position.
What are the steps to derive the period of a physical pendulum (small amplitudes)?
1. Start with rotational Newton's Second Law. 2. Define the torque equation: $\tau = -mgd \sin\theta$. 3. Apply small angle approximation: $\sin \theta \approx \theta$. 4. Relate torque and angular acceleration: $\tau = I\alpha$. 5. Calculate angular acceleration. 6. Use $T = \frac{2\pi}{\omega}$ to find the period: $T_{\text{phys}} = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{I}{mgd}}$
List the steps to determine the moment of inertia of a complex object.
1. Divide the object into simpler shapes. 2. Determine the moment of inertia of each shape. 3. Use the parallel axis theorem if necessary to shift the axis of rotation. 4. Sum the moments of inertia of all the shapes to find the total moment of inertia.
How do you analyze the energy conservation in a physical pendulum system?
1. Identify the initial and final states of the pendulum. 2. Determine the potential energy (gravitational) and kinetic energy (rotational) at each state. 3. Apply the conservation of energy principle: $U_i + K_i = U_f + K_f$. 4. Solve for the unknown variable (e.g., angular velocity or maximum angle).
What are the steps to apply the small-angle approximation?
1. Recognize that the angle of displacement is small. 2. Replace $\sin \theta$ with $\theta$ (in radians). 3. Use the simplified equations for torque and angular acceleration. 4. Solve for the period or angular frequency using the simplified expressions.
How do you relate rotational motion to Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM) in physical pendulums?
1. Apply the small-angle approximation to linearize the motion. 2. Show that the angular acceleration is proportional to the angular displacement: $\alpha = -\omega^2 \theta$. 3. Recognize that this is the condition for SHM. 4. Use the SHM equations to analyze the motion of the pendulum.
What is the effect of increasing the moment of inertia on the period of a physical pendulum?
Increasing the moment of inertia increases the period of the physical pendulum.
What happens if the distance from the pivot to the center of mass (d) increases?
The period of the pendulum decreases.
What is the effect of increasing the mass of a physical pendulum (assuming mass distribution remains constant)?
The period of the physical pendulum remains unchanged because mass appears in both the numerator (via moment of inertia) and the denominator of the period equation.
What happens when the small-angle approximation is no longer valid?
The motion of the pendulum deviates from Simple Harmonic Motion, and the period becomes dependent on the amplitude of the oscillation.
What is the effect of friction on a physical pendulum?
Friction causes the pendulum's oscillations to dampen over time, reducing the amplitude and eventually bringing the pendulum to rest.