Published September 10, 2008 | Version v1
Journal article

Simple 'log formulae' for pendulum motion valid for any amplitude

Creators

  • 1. Instituto de Fisica, Universidade de BrasIlia, PO Box 04455, 70919-970, BrasIlia-DF (Brazil)

Description

By combining a logarithmic approximate formula for the pendulum period derived recently (valid for amplitudes below π/2 rad) with the Cromer asymptotic approximation (valid for amplitudes near to π rad), a new approximate formula accurate for all amplitudes between 0 and π rad is derived here. It is shown that this formula yields an error that tends to zero in both the small and large amplitude limits, a feature not found in any previous approximate formula. Some ways of refining this formula are also presented. Interestingly, when one of the improved expressions is taken for building a sinusoidal (harmonic) approximation to the solution of the pendulum equation of motion very good agreement is found. The simple log formulae derived here require only a few elementary function calls in a pocket calculator for accurate evaluations, being useful for analyzing pendulum experiments in introductory physics labs. They may also be of interest for those specialists working with nonlinear phenomena governed by pendulum-like differential equations, which arise in many fields of science and technology (e.g., analysis of acoustic vibrations, oscillations in small molecules, optically torqued nanorods, Josephson junctions, electronic filters, gravitational lensing in general relativity, advanced models in field theory, oscillations of buildings during earthquakes, and others)

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0143-0807/29/5/021

Additional details

Identifiers

DOI
10.1088/0143-0807/29/5/021;
PII
S0143-0807(08)81452-3;

Publishing Information

Journal Title
European Journal of Physics
Journal Volume
29
Journal Issue
5
Journal Page Range
p. 1091-1098
ISSN
0143-0807
CODEN
EJPHD4