Digital torsion pendulum

Abstract The design of a digital torsion pendulum is described. It uses a single optoelectronic transducer for the measurement of the logarithmic decrement and period of oscillation. The measurement technique employed may be considered able to overcome experimental errors associated with application of two transducers or other techniques cited before. Data acquisition, data processing and temperature control can be performed manually or by a microcomputer. The instrument offers good potential for economical production and operation.