As time period doesnot depend on amplitude so then why it is said that in measurement of time period amplitude must be kept small and also that amplitude must be zero ?

Leonidas Cook

Leonidas Cook

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2022-08-19

As time period doesnot depend on amplitude so then why it is said that in measurement of time period amplitude must be kept small and also that amplitude must be zero ?

Answer & Explanation

hrikalegt15

hrikalegt15

Beginner2022-08-20Added 11 answers

If you look at the derivation it includes the line that the restoring force is proportional to sin θ θ (the ‘small angle rule’)
This is less true as θ increases.
acsalagi3l

acsalagi3l

Beginner2022-08-21Added 2 answers

You did not say what was oscillating. I will answer for the case where it is a simple pendulum that is oscillating. If it is a pendulum, amplitude must be small because the "time period does not depend on amplitude" rule applies to pendulums only if it is exhibiting simple harmonic motion.
Simple harmonic motion of a physical system requires that the force restoring the object (bob) to the equilibrium position must be proportional to the displacement from the equilibrium position.
F n e t = m g sin θ
The angle theta (in radians) is the displacement. This equation comes from valid application of trigonometry.
In that formula, m and g are constants. Therefore this formula says that
F n e t and sin θ
are proportional. But the rule for simple harmonic motion says that
F n e t and θ
must be proportional. You know that sine is not a linear relation to the angle. It plots a sine wave. But, when the value of θ is small, it is a very good approximation to say that
sin θ = θ
When this approximation is valid that initial formula can be written
F n e t = m g θ
So in that form, we see that F n e t and θ are proportional as required.
So, when amplitude is kept small (allowing use of the sin θ = θ approximation), time period is independent of amplitude.

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