Assume that a pendulum used to drive a grandfather clock has a length L0=1.00m and a mass M at temperature T=20.00°C. It can be modeled as a physical pendulum as a rod oscillating around one end. By what percentage will the period change if the temperature increases by 10°C? Assume the length of the rod changes linearly with temperature, where L=L0(1+αΔT) and the rod is made of brass (α=18×10−6°C−1).

When the rod expands by heat its moment of inertia increases, but since there was no applied rotational force to the pendulum , the angular momentum remains constant. In other words:

ζ= Δ(Iω)/Δt, where ζ is the applied torque, I is moment of inertia, ω is angular velocity and t is time.

since there was no torque ( no rotational force applied)

ζ=0 → Δ(Iω)=0 → I₂ω₂ -I₁ω₁ = 0 → I₁ω₁ = I₂ω₂

thus

I₂/I₁ =ω₁/ω₂ , (2) represents final state and (1) initial state

we know also that ω=2π/T , where T is the period of the pendulum

I₂/I₁ =ω₁/ω₂ = (2π/T₁)/(2π/T₂)= T₂/T₁

Therefore to calculate the change in the period we have to calculate the moments of inertia. Looking at tables, can be found that the moment of inertia of a rod that rotates around an end is

I = 1/3 ML²

Therefore since the mass M is the same before and after the expansion

I₁ = 1/3 ML₁² , I₂ = 1/3 ML₂² → I₂/I₁ = (1/3 ML₂²)/(1/3 ML₁²)= L₂²/L₁²= (L₂/L₁)²

since

L₂= L₁ (1+αΔT) , L₂/L₁=1+αΔT , where ΔT is the change in temperature

now putting all together

T₂/T₁=I₂/I₁=(L₂/L₁)² = (1+αΔT) ²

finally

%change in period =(T₂-T₁)/T₁ = T₂/T₁ - 1 = (1+αΔT) ² -1

%change in period =(1+αΔT) ² -1 =[ 1+18×10⁻⁶ °C⁻¹ *10 °C]² -1 = 3,6 ×10⁻⁴ = 3,6 ×10⁻² % = 0,036 %