Question

You can perform an interesting activity when you visit a park to ride a swing. You will require a watch. Make the swing oscillate without anyone sitting on it. Find its time period in the same way as you did for the pendulum. Make sure that there are no jerks in the motion of the swing. Ask one of your friends to sit on the swing. Push it once and let it swing naturally. Again measure its time period. Repeat the activity with different persons sitting on the swing. Compare the time period of the swing measured in different cases. What conclusions do you draw from this activity?

Answer 1

To perform this activity, follow these steps:

1. Initial Setup:

   • Visit a park with a swing.
   • Ensure you have a watch to measure time accurately.

2. Swing Without a Person:

   • Set the swing into motion without anyone sitting on it.
   • Make sure the swing moves smoothly without any jerks.
   • Use your watch to measure the swing's time period. The time period is the time it takes for the swing to return to its starting point after one complete oscillation.
   • Record the time period.

3. Swing With a Person:

   • Ask a friend to sit on the swing.
   • Give the swing a gentle push and let it oscillate naturally.
   • Measure the time period of the swing with your friend sitting on it.
   • Record the time period.
   • Repeat this step with different friends sitting on the swing, measuring and recording each person's time period.

4. Comparison and Conclusion:

   • Compare the time periods you recorded.
   • Red in different cases: without anyone and with different people sitting on the swing.
   • You will likely notice that the time period is different when a person is sitting on the swing compared to when it is empty.
   • The time period of a swing depends on the length of the swing and the gravitational force acting on it. When a person sits on the swing, the distribution of mass changes, which can affect the time period.
   • Generally, a swing with a person sitting on it will last longer than an empty swing because the added weight increases the swing's moment of inertia.

In conclusion, the activity demonstrates how the time period of a swing varies depending on the mass sitting on it. The added weight of a person changes the dynamics of the swing's oscillation, resulting in a different time period compared to when the swing is empty.