Paritian

Physics

Pendulum Period Calculator

Swing period and frequency of a simple pendulum, plus the length for a one-second period.

Results

Period 2.00641 s
Frequency 0.49840 Hz
Pendulum length 0.24841 m

What this tool does

A pendulum's period depends on its length and on gravity, and not at all on the weight hanging from it — which is what made pendulum clocks possible. The last result is the length that swings once per second, just under 25 centimetres.

Formula

T = 2π × √(L ÷ g)

Variables

SymbolMeaningUnit
lPendulum lengthm
gvGravitational accelerationm/s²
TPeriods
FFrequencyHz
L1Pendulum lengthm

Worked example

  • Pendulum length1 m
  • Gravitational acceleration9.80665 m/s²
  • Period2.00641 s
  • Frequency0.49840 Hz
  • Pendulum length0.24841 m

Limitations

  • The formula assumes ideal conditions: no friction losses, no air resistance and no efficiency losses unless you enter them.
  • The result is an estimate based only on the values you type. Real situations often include factors this calculator does not know about.