A student releases a simple pendulum from rest at an initial amplitude of and

PHYSICS · Subjective · A Level · Physics · Further mechanics and thermal physics · Further mechanics and thermal physics

Problem

A student releases a simple pendulum from rest at an initial amplitude of

4^{\circ}

and, in a separate trial, at

40^{\circ}

. Explain why the assumption of simple harmonic motion is acceptable for the first trial but not for the second.