Physlet Illustration: Simple Pendulum

 
A simple pendulum is constructed from a mass on a string.  Does the period of the pendulum depend upon starting height?  Where is the angulur velocity the greatest?

Hints

  1. Observe the pendulum or the graph of theta versus time. Determine the period.  
  2. Drag the pendulum bob to a new starting point and repeat the measurement of the period.

Reference

See Walker, Section 13-6

Illustration written by Wolfgang Chrisitan and Modified by Chuck Niederriter