Simple Pendulum Calculator

Welcome to our simple pendulum calculator, where you can easily calculate the period of a pendulum and its frequency from its length. You've come to the right place if you want to learn more about a simple pendulum. We shall discuss some fundamentals of a simple pendulum here, including:

• What is a simple pendulum?
• How to find its frequency and period using the simple pendulum equation?
• How to find the length of the pendulum?

If you're interested in calculating the maximum speed, height, or kinetic energy available in a pendulum setup, head to our kinetic energy of a pendulum calculator.

This simple pendulum calculator uses the simple pendulum equation to find the pendulum's period and frequency from its length.

• Enter the pendulum's length, and this simple pendulum calculator will determine the pendulum's period and frequency, using a period of a pendulum equation.
• Enter its frequency or period, and the calculator will find the pendulum's length using the pendulum length formula.
• The gravitational acceleration constant is set at $9.807 \text{ m/s}^2$. You can change it to a custom value if you wish.

A pendulum is a mass suspended from a pivot about which it can swing freely. To classify a pendulum as a simple pendulum (or simple gravity pendulum), it must satisfy these conditions:

1. The pivot must be frictionless. Air resistance must be negligible.
2. The string or rod used to suspend the mass must be weightless.

For a simple pendulum with small amplitudes $\theta$ such that $\sin(\theta) \approx \theta$, the period of the pendulum is independent of the mass and the amplitude. In such cases, the formula for a period of oscillation is given by:

Where:

• $T$ is the pendulum's period;
• $L$ is the pendulum's length (length of the string suspending the pendulum mass);
• $g$ is the gravitational acceleration, equal to $9.81 \text{ m/s}^2$; and
• $\theta$ is the amplitude of the pendulum swing.

We can use this formula for the period of a pendulum to calculate its frequency:

Here, $f$ is the frequency of the pendulum.

For amplitudes greater than $15 \degree$, the pendulum's period also depends on the moment of inertia of the suspended mass. In such cases, the period of a pendulum formula is given by:

Where:

• $I$ is the moment of inertia about the pivot;
• $m$ is the suspended mass; and
• $D$ is the distance from the pivot to the center of mass.

Our calculator does not perform this calculation, but we have the perfect tool for this scenario: physical pendulum calculator.

We can find the length of the simple pendulum by rearranging the formula of a period of oscillation:

If you're now familiar with simple pendulum, why don't you try other calculators explaining fundamental problems of physics? Visit our trajectory calculator to learn the vertical distance formula of a thrown object or its angle of trajectory.