THE CONSERVATION OF ENERGY PENDULUM（能量守恒钟摆）.pdf

THE CONSERVATION OF ENERGY - PENDULUM - Introduction The purpose of this experiment is to measure the potential energy and the kinetic energy of a mechanical system and to quantitatively compare the two forms of mechanical energy to determine if the total mechanical energy is conserved. Apparatus Metal Cylinder Computer with Logger Pro SW Meter Stick Rod or Ring Stand Vernier Lab Pro Sheet of white paper (1). Calipers Connecting wires String Pendulum Clamp Vernier Photogate Masking Tape Figure 1. Experimental Set Up Theory A pendulum will be the mechanical system that is employed in this experiment. It consists of a large mass suspended from a stationary point by a relatively massless string. The center of mass of the pendulum will be located directly below the suspension point when the mass is in its equilibrium position. When the center of mass of the pendulum is displaced from its equilibrium position and released the pendulum will oscillate back and forth on either side of the equilibrium position. This equilibrium position is also the lowest point of pendulum motion. For small angles, the period of the pendulum, which is its total time for the pendulum to complete one cycle of its motion, is a constant, dependent only on the length of the string suspending the pendulum. The pendulum operates in the gravitational field of the earth. The gravitational field is an example of a conservative force field. Mechanical energy exists in two forms, gravit