What Is the Value of K in a Pendulum Lab?

[bolivartech]

Homework Statement

We did a pendulum lab and found Q then we were asked to find K from that. The professor gave us a formula K= 4pi²/m²
where m was the slope of a line on a graph of our periods vs length^Q
then stated it should be number we would recognize. I assumed maybe we were going to calculate g, as this is something I have done before but I thought K was a spring constant from Hookes law. What am I trying to find.

Homework Equations

g=Lpi²/T²

The Attempt at a Solution

The data is relative but I did get some answers around 9.77, close enough to 9.8 considering the human error involved.

 

[Kurdt]

Perhaps your professor just relabelled the constants to give the element of surprise. It would be pretty obvious what it would be if he had used the standard g.

 

[tomcue]

I would like to clarify that the formula K=4pi²/m² is the equation for the period of a simple pendulum, where K represents the acceleration due to gravity (g), and m represents the slope of the line on the graph of periods vs length. This is known as the "small angle approximation" and is commonly used to calculate g in a pendulum experiment. Therefore, what you are trying to find is the value of g, which is a fundamental constant in physics.

It is also worth noting that K is not necessarily a spring constant from Hooke's law, as it depends on the system being studied. In this case, K represents the acceleration due to gravity, but in other systems, it could represent different quantities.

Furthermore, your calculation of g being close to 9.8 is a good indication that your experiment was successful and your data is accurate. However, it is always important to consider the limitations and sources of error in any experiment.

Overall, the goal of this pendulum lab was to determine the acceleration due to gravity using the small angle approximation and the formula K=4pi²/m². I hope this clarifies any confusion and helps you better understand the purpose of the lab.