A pendulum clock uses a bob of mass attached to a string of length
PHYSICS · Multi-part · A Level · Physics · Further mechanics and thermal physics · Further mechanics and thermal physics
Problem
A pendulum clock uses a bob of mass 0.50kg attached to a string of length 1.20m. During one oscillation the bob passes through a point P which is 5.0cm away from the mean position measured along the arc.
(i) Find the instantaneous tangential acceleration of the bob when it is at P.
(ii) Hence calculate the restoring force acting on the bob at P.
(iii) If the amplitude (maximum arc–length displacement) of the oscillation is 0.10m, determine the ratio of the restoring force at P to that at the extreme position.