Pendulum Lab

Item #P4-1700

$99.50 Bundle Discount

Unit Price	$99.50
10+	$90.50

Investigate simple harmonic motion with a classic pendulum

Arbor Scientific’s Pendulum Lab brings together classic physics, modern measurement, and student reasoning—helping learners move from observation to understanding with confidence. It combines hands-on experimentation with modern sensors to deepen student understanding of simple harmonic motion and conservation of energy.

Students investigate how length, mass, and amplitude affect a pendulum’s period, then extend the lab using photogates and motion sensors to analyze speed throughout the swing. A built-in whiteboard lets students record parameters, track vertical displacement, and predict maximum velocity—connecting observation, data, and theory in a single, cohesive investigation.

Why Teachers Love the Pendulum Lab

Enhances a classic lab with modern tools: Combines traditional pendulum experiments with photogates and motion sensors for deeper insight.
Clear focus on variables: Students systematically test length, mass, and amplitude to discover what truly affects period.
Built for modeling and prediction: The included whiteboard grid supports planning, recording, and energy-based predictions.
Flexible and repeatable: Supports quick demos, guided inquiry, or full quantitative labs across multiple levels.

Resources

Pendulum Lab Instruction Guide

What You Can Teach with the Pendulum Lab

Ideal for middle school, high school, AP Physics, and introductory college courses:

Simple harmonic motion: Period, frequency, and restoring forces
Conservation of energy: Converting gravitational potential energy to kinetic energy
Effect of variables on motion: Length vs. mass vs. amplitude
Velocity analysis: Measure maximum speed with a photogate and track speed throughout the swing with a motion sensor
Experimental design & modeling: Predict outcomes, test hypotheses, and reconcile data with theory

Products Also Required (Sold Separately)

Physics Workshop Stand — required mounting system
Timer and Photogates — for precise speed and timing measurements

Good to know: The Physics Workshop Stand is a universal component used across multiple labs, including the Car & Ramp Lab, Horizontal Projectile Lab, Lever Lab, and Gravity Lab. See the Physics Workshop Group for a complete list of compatible products.

Products being sold are not toys. They are for Educational / Laboratory use only. They are not for use by children 12 and under.

What's Included:

Pendulum Face

String, Approx. 1 Meter

Spherical Bob (aluminum)

Spherical Bob (steel)

Centimeter Grid Board

Small Attachment Hex Bolt

Wing Nut

Pinch Clamp

WARNING: Cancer & Reproductive Harm — www.P65Warnings.ca.gov