Show that the motion of the pendulum is simple harmonic and hence calculate its time period.

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Solution: 
Show that the motion of the pendulum is simple harmonic and hence calculate its time period.

Let us consider a body of mass ‘m’ is connected at one end of a thread of length ‘l’ which passes through a rigid support at point O.

Here,

The point O on the rigid support is called point of suspension and c.g. of the bob is called point of oscillation.

The distance between point of suspension and oscillation is called effective length.

At extreme position, let, mg is the wt. of the body and T be the tension produced in the string. The component mgcos$\theta $ is balanced by the tension (T).

The component mgsin$\theta $ provides restoring force to move the bob towards mean position.

f = -mgsin$\theta $ , -ve sign is for restoring force.

or, ma = -mg sin$\theta $

or, a = -g sin$\theta $

for small angle, sin$\theta $$ \approx $$\theta $

a = -g$\theta $  --------------i)

By trigonometry,

$\theta $ = $\frac{{{\rm{arc\: length}}}}{{{\rm{radius}}}}$ = $\frac{{{\rm{AB}}}}{{{\rm{OA}}}}$

$\theta $ = $\frac{{\rm{y}}}{{\rm{l}}}$  ----------------ii)

Putting the value of $\theta {\rm{\: }}$in eqn ii) we get,

a = -g $\frac{{\rm{y}}}{{\rm{l}}}$

a = -($\frac{{\rm{g}}}{{\rm{l}}}$)y  ---------------iii)

Here, acceleration is directly proportional to displacement and they are opposite to each other.

Hence, motion of a simple pendulum is SHM

Expression for time period

If a body is in SHM then its acceleration is,

a = -${\omega ^2}$y -----------------iv)

Comparing eqn iii) and iv)

${\omega ^2}$ = $\frac{{\rm{g}}}{{\rm{l}}}$

or, $\omega $ = $\sqrt {\frac{{\rm{g}}}{{\rm{l}}}} $

or, $\frac{{2{\rm{\pi }}}}{{\rm{T}}}$ = $\sqrt {\frac{{\rm{g}}}{{\rm{l}}}} $  ($\omega $ = $\frac{{2{\rm{\pi }}}}{{\rm{T}}}$ )

or, T = 2${\rm{\pi }}\sqrt {\frac{{\rm{l}}}{{\rm{g}}}} $

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