Author(s)

Anqi Gao

Corresponding Author

Anqi Gao

Abstract

This report investigates the correlation between theoretical predictions and experimental results of a damped harmonic oscillator using a self-build pendulum setup. The principal objectives are investigating the pendulum’s period dependency or independency on both amplitude and string length, calculating the rate of energy loss quantified by the Q factor using two distinct methodologies, and finding any correlations between Q factor and pendulum string length. Results on the amplitude range where the period is considered as constant, the alignments and disagreements between Q factors calculation from two methods on different string length, and the impact of string length on pendulum’s period are demonstrated and analyzed. The experimental results, though somewhat aligned with theoretical predictions from damped harmonic motion equations, exhibit notable discrepancies which are discussed in terms of experimental setup limitations and measurement uncertainties with mathematical reasoning.

Keywords

Damped Harmonic Oscillator; Experimental Physics; Q Factor; Period Amplitude Relationship; Period Length Relationship; Q Factor Length Relationship