Tension in a Pendulum String

Mechanics > Newton's Laws > Newton's Second Law

DCS# 1D50.37

TENSION IN A PENDULUM STRING

DESCRIPTION

Let the 500 g mass swing through an angle greater than 60° from the vertical, in the plane of the other two segments of the string. At the bottom of the path, the string tension is great enough to lift the 1 kg mass. This is evident from the noise made when the 1 kg mass drops back down onto the aluminum plate.; Change the radius, by moving the pulley, to show that the tension is independent of the radius.
NOTES: The instantaneous lifting force on mass M is mg + 2 mg(1-cosθ).

REFERENCE

Meiners, 8-5.4