Work through the list without notes. If you cannot do a statement, follow its link, then come back. Guide = study guide; Practice = practice questions.
Understanding
- I can describe a physical pendulum as a rigid body on a fixed axis, and identify m, d and I about the pivot. (Guide: “What a physical pendulum is”)
- I can explain, with a diagram, why gravity at the centre of mass gives a restoring torque −mgd sin θ. (Guide: Figure 1; Practice Q5(a))
- I can explain why sin θ ≈ θ needs radians and small angles, and say how the period changes at large amplitude. (Guide: “The small-angle approximation”; Practice Q5(e))
- I can explain why a torsion pendulum’s period does not depend on g. (Guide: “The torsion pendulum”; Practice Q2)
Calculation
- I can derive d²θ/dt² = −(mgd/I)θ from τ = Iα and read off ω and T. (Guide: “From τ = Iα to SHM”; Practice Q5)
- I can show that the simple pendulum period is the special case I = ml², d = l. (Guide: “The simple pendulum”; Practice Q5(d))
- I can find the period of a rod, plank, hoop or rod-and-block system, using the parallel axis theorem. (Guide: Worked example 1; Practice Q1, Q4)
- I can use a torsion pendulum to find a torsion constant and an unknown rotational inertia. (Guide: Worked example 2)
- I can find the greatest angular speed ωθ_max without confusing it with ω. (Practice Q3)
Reasoning and experiment
- I can plan a pendulum experiment that reduces timing and amplitude errors. (Guide: “Designing a pendulum experiment”; Practice Q6(a))
- I can linearise pendulum data, plot it with labelled axes and units, and find g and k² from the slope and intercept. (Practice Q6)
- I can test a claim about adding mass to a pendulum and find where added mass leaves the period unchanged. (Practice Q7)
All ticked? This is the last topic of the course. Return to the course roadmap to plan your full-course revision, or look back at Topic 7.4, Energy of Simple Harmonic Oscillators.