Past exam of the physics 1 paper of the University of Oxford / 2013 / 9 / e / Solution

Put $\theta ={\theta }_e+\delta$ at the stable equilibrium. Since $M\sin {\theta }_e=m$, linearization of d givesThusAs $m\to 0$, the result approaches $\sqrt{g/R}$, the simple pendulum value. As $m\uparrow M$, the restoring curvature tends to zero and this small-amplitude frequency tends to zero; the endpoint itself is not a stable quadratic minimum.