Double pulley Pendulum: Testing Experiment

Aim

Make and revise prediction

Prior Knowledge

• Circular motion
• Newton's laws
• Kinematics
• Free body diagrams
• Vectors

Description of the Experiment

Two objects of equal masses, connected by a string, are suspended over a pair of low friction pulleys. One of the objects is pulled back and made to swing like a pendulum. Use your knowledge of kinematics, Newton's laws and circular motion to make a precise prediction about the motion of the second object after the first begins to swing.

Youtube movies can be stepped frame by frame using the , and . keys on your keyboard. If you want to download the movie to your computer, right-click or control-click HERE.

Questions

Now that you have watched the video, did your prediction agree with what you observed? If your prediction was incorrect, try and use your physics knowledge to explain what you see.