Final answer:
The period of a pendulum that makes 40 vibrations in 20.0 seconds is 0.5 seconds, calculated using the formula T = total time / number of vibrations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The period of a pendulum is the time it takes to complete one full swing, back and forth. Given that the pendulum makes exactly 40 vibrations in 20.0 seconds, we can calculate its period by dividing the total time of oscillation by the number of vibrations. A period is typically denoted as T.
Using the formula T = total time / number of vibrations, we find that
T = 20.0 s / 40 vibrations = 0.5 s. Therefore, the period of the pendulum is 0.5 seconds.