A Simple Pendulum Determination of the Gravitational Constant
Abstract
We determined the Newtonian Constant of Gravitation G by interferometrically measuring the change in spacing between two free-hanging pendulum masses caused by the gravitational field from large tungsten source masses. We find a value for G of (6.672 34 +/- 0.000 14) x 10-11 m3 kg-1 s-2. This value is in good agreement with the 1986 Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) value of (6.672 59 +/- 0.000 85) x 10-11 m3 kg-1 s-2 [Rev. Mod. Phys. 59, 1121 (1987)] but differs from some more recent determinations as well as the latest CODATA recommendation of (6.674 28 +/- 0.000 67) x 10-11 m3 kg-1 s-2 [Rev. Mod. Phys. 80, 633 (2008)].
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