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Measurement - Measurement of Time

Grade 7ICSE

Review the key concepts, formulae, and examples before starting your quiz.

🔑Concepts

Time is defined as the interval between two events. The standard SI unit of time is the second (ss).

A simple pendulum consists of a small heavy mass, called the bob, suspended from a rigid support by a weightless and inextensible string.

One complete to-and-fro motion of the pendulum bob about its mean position is called an oscillation.

The time taken by the pendulum to complete one oscillation is called its Time Period (TT).

The number of oscillations completed by the pendulum in one second is called its Frequency (ff). The unit of frequency is Hertz (HzHz).

The effective length of a pendulum (ll) is the distance from the point of suspension to the center of gravity of the bob.

The time period of a simple pendulum is directly proportional to the square root of its effective length: TlT \propto \sqrt{l}.

The time period of a simple pendulum is independent of the mass or material of the bob and the amplitude of oscillation (provided the amplitude is small).

The time period of a simple pendulum is inversely proportional to the square root of the acceleration due to gravity (gg): T1gT \propto \frac{1}{\sqrt{g}}.

📐Formulae

T=Total time takenNumber of oscillationsT = \frac{\text{Total time taken}}{\text{Number of oscillations}}

f=1Tf = \frac{1}{T}

T=2πlgT = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{g}}

T1T2=l1l2\frac{T_1}{T_2} = \sqrt{\frac{l_1}{l_2}}

💡Examples

Problem 1:

A simple pendulum completes 4040 oscillations in 8080 seconds. Calculate its time period and frequency.

Solution:

Given: Number of oscillations n=40n = 40, Total time t=80 st = 80\text{ s}. Time Period T=tn=8040=2 sT = \frac{t}{n} = \frac{80}{40} = 2\text{ s}. Frequency f=1T=12=0.5 Hzf = \frac{1}{T} = \frac{1}{2} = 0.5\text{ Hz}.

Explanation:

The time period is the duration of one oscillation, while frequency is the number of oscillations per unit time.

Problem 2:

What will happen to the time period of a simple pendulum if its effective length is increased by 44 times?

Solution:

Let the initial length be l1l_1 and final length be l2=4l1l_2 = 4l_1. Using the relation T1T2=l1l2\frac{T_1}{T_2} = \sqrt{\frac{l_1}{l_2}}, we get: T1T2=l14l1=14=12\frac{T_1}{T_2} = \sqrt{\frac{l_1}{4l_1}} = \sqrt{\frac{1}{4}} = \frac{1}{2}. Therefore, T2=2T1T_2 = 2T_1.

Explanation:

Since the time period is proportional to the square root of the length (TlT \propto \sqrt{l}), increasing the length fourfold results in doubling the time period.

Problem 3:

A 'seconds pendulum' is a pendulum with a time period of exactly 22 seconds. If the acceleration due to gravity is g=9.8 m/s2g = 9.8\text{ m/s}^2, find the approximate length of a seconds pendulum.

Solution:

Using T=2πlgT = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{g}}, for T=2 sT = 2\text{ s}: 2=2πl9.82 = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{9.8}} 1=πl9.81 = \pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{9.8}} Squaring both sides: 1=π2l9.81 = \pi^2 \frac{l}{9.8} l=9.8π29.89.870.992 m100 cml = \frac{9.8}{\pi^2} \approx \frac{9.8}{9.87} \approx 0.992\text{ m} \approx 100\text{ cm}.

Explanation:

The length of a seconds pendulum on Earth is approximately 11 meter or 100100 cm.