Question

A simple pendulum has a length of 1.5 m and is pulled a distance y = 0.24 m to one side and then released. (Assume small angle.)

What is the speed of the pendulum when it passes through the lowest point on its trajectory?

Answer 1

Is this horizontal distance? If so, draw the triangle. 1.5 down, .24 left, and hypotenuse is sqrt (1.5^2+.24^2)

but the pendulum is not that long, it is 1.5, so at what height is the bob at?

similar triangles: h/1.5=(sqrt(1.5^2+.24^2) -1.5)/1.5

solve for h.

then mgh=1/2 m v^2 solve for v.

Answer 2

0.499