Pendulum L = 1 m, g = 9.8: find the period

A simple pendulum 1 m long swings through a small angle (g = 9.8 m/s²). Find the period of one complete oscillation.

Step-by-step

1. T = 2π√(L/g) = 2π√(1/9.8) ≈ 2.0071
   For small swings a pendulum's period depends only on its length and gravity

Why it works

A small-angle pendulum has T = 2π√(L/g), so a smaller g makes the period longer; that is why the same pendulum swings more slowly on the Moon than on Earth.

Common mistakes

• Substituting g = 10 out of habit instead of the 9.8 m/s² given in the problem.
• Assuming any 1 m pendulum has a period of exactly 2 s, which would need g ≈ 9.87 m/s².

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