‭Accelerated Physics‬ ‭Simple Harmonic Motion Notes‬ ‭Pg.

‬‭1‬

‭ eriodic motion‬‭is motion in which an object repeats‬‭the same motion over and over again in a cyclic‬
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‭pattern.‬

‭Hooke’s Law‬

‭ ooke’s Law states that the applied force by a spring displaced an amount‬‭x‬‭from its equilibrium position‬‭is‬
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‭calculated by‬

‭Units:‬

‭ xample #1‬
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‭The spring constant of the spring is 320 N/m and the bar indicator extends 2.0 cm. What force does the air‬
‭in the tire apply to the spring? What was the work done in moving from 0 cm to 2.0 cm?‬

‭Ans. 6.4 N; 0.064 J‬

‭ imple Harmonic Motion‬

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‭Any repetitive motion can be described as harmonic motion. Simple‬
‭harmonic motion is periodic motion that occurs whenever the restoring force‬
‭is proportional to the displacement from equilibrium. In SHM, the position,‬
‭velocity, and acceleration as functions of time are sinusoidal (i.e., sine or‬
‭cosine functions)‬

‭What is periodic / oscillatory motion? Give examples.‬

‭ ow do we describe SHM?‬
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‭●‬ ‭An object that oscillates between 2 spatial positions for an indefinite‬
‭period of time, with no loss of mechanical energy‬
‭●‬ ‭The acceleration is directly proportional to the displacement form‬
‭equilibrium position with a negative slope passing through origin.‬
‭●‬ ‭This motion is described by the period, the frequency, and the amplitude‬
‭of the motion‬
‭Accelerated Physics‬ ‭Simple Harmonic Motion Notes‬ ‭Pg.‬‭2‬

‭ efinitions of Quantities that describe periodic motion:‬

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‭Amplitude (A)‬‭: the maximum magnitude of displacement from equilibrium. Units: m‬
‭Period (T)‬‭: - the time needed to complete one cycle.‬ ‭Units: seconds‬
‭Frequency (‬‭f‭)‬ ‬‭: the number of cycles completed in‬‭one second. Units: Hertz = cycle/s‬
‭Angular Frequency (‬‭w‬‭)‬‭: the number of radians completed‬‭in one second. Units: rads/s‬

‭Equations:‬

‭and‬ ‭AP formula sheet:‬

‭ xample #2:‬
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‭A child on a swing goes back and forth once every 1.40 seconds. Find the period, frequency and angular‬
‭frequency.‬

‭ xample #3:‬
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‭A fly flaps its wings 200 times per second. Find the period, frequency and angular frequency.‬

‭ xample #4:‬
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‭The graph shown below closely approximates the displacement‬‭x‬‭of a tuning fork as a function of time‬‭t‬‭as‬
‭it is playing a single note. What are (a) the amplitude, (b) period, (c) frequency, and (d) angular frequency‬
‭of this fork’s motion?‬
‭Accelerated Physics‬ ‭Simple Harmonic Motion Notes‬ ‭Pg.‬‭3‬

‭ inematics of Oscillation:‬
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‭Consider an object of mass M that is attached to a spring‬
‭as shown in the figure to the right. If the mass is pulled‬
‭from the equilibrium position a distance x = A and‬
‭released it will move back and forth between x = +A and‬
‭x = - A. We can show that the motion of the object in‬
‭terms of position, velocity and acceleration for a specific‬
‭time or specific position. The equations depend upon‬
‭where the object is when the clock starts.‬

‭ ow much total distance would be covered in two‬

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‭complete revolution?‬

‭ tarting at t = 0 seconds when M is at the far right of its motion.‬

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‭The graphs show two complete cycles.‬

‭ abel ±A‬
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‭on graph‬

‭ abel v‬‭max‬‭= ±‬‭w‭A

L ‬ ‬
‭on graph‬
‭Accelerated Physics‬ ‭Simple Harmonic Motion Notes‬ ‭Pg.‬‭4‬

‭ xample #5:‬
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‭An object oscillates, as shown in the figure below. Answer the following‬
‭questions.‬
‭(a)‬ ‭What is the maximum displacement (amplitude)?‬
‭(b)‬ ‭How long does it take to complete one cycle?‬
‭(c)‬ ‭What is the angular frequency?‬
‭(d)‬ ‭At what times in the graph is the object at rest?‬
‭(e)‬ ‭At what times after t = 0 does the object have maximum speed?‬
‭(f)‬ ‭What is the equation of the graph?‬
‭(g)‬ ‭What would the equation of the graph of velocity vs. time look like?‬

‭ orces and Simple Harmonic Motion‬

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‭To get a system to oscillate back and forth requires a restoring force that always pushes in a direction that is‬
‭opposite to the way an object is to move.‬

‭There are two SHM examples we will study:‬

‭(1)‬‭Mass on a Spring / Spring-Mass system‬

‭(2)‬‭Mass on a String / Simple Pendulum system‬

‭Accelerated Physics‬ ‭Simple Harmonic Motion Notes‬ ‭Pg.‬‭5‬

‭ ass on a Spring‬
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‭For the mass on the spring, we can develop equations that tell us the frequency and period of oscillation.‬

‭Recall:‬ ‭Hooke’s Law‬

‭where‬‭x‬‭is the stretched length of the spring.‬

‭k is the spring constant measured in N/m.‬

‭From Newton’s 2‬‭nd‬ ‭law:‬

‭Since‬ ‭Then,‬ ‭where‬

‭Therefore, the equation for the period of a mass on a spring is:‬

‭where‬‭m‬‭is the mass (kg) and‬‭k‬‭is the spring constant‬‭(N/m) of spring.‬

‭ s the object oscillates between the two endpoints, the energy is transformed between elastic potential‬
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‭energy and kinetic energy. The total mechanical energy of the mass and spring is constant. Thus, whatever‬
‭potential energy that is lost is gained by kinetic energy, and vice-versa.‬

‭ lastic Potential‬
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‭Energy‬

‭Kinetic Energy‬

‭The total energy at any point‬‭x‬‭is given by :‬

‭where‬

‭ t the maximum displacement is the amplitude,‬‭x‬‭= ±A, and the velocity is zero. All of the energy is‬
A
‭elastic potential energy at the endpoints. Therefore, the total energy E at the endpoints is:‬
‭Accelerated Physics‬ ‭Simple Harmonic Motion Notes‬ ‭Pg.‬‭6‬

‭The speed at any point‬‭x‬‭can be derived from the above equation and solving for‬‭v‬‭.‬
‭The maximum speed occurs when‬‭x‬‭= 0.‬ ‭The maximum acceleration occur when‬‭x‬‭= ±‬‭A‬

‭, where‬ ‭, where‬‭x‬‭= A and‬

‭ xample #6‬
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‭A spring is mounted horizontally on an air track, with the left end held stationary. We attach a spring‬
‭balance to the free end of the spring, pull toward the right, and measure the elongation. We determine that‬
‭that the stretching force of 6.0 N causes an elongation of 0.030 m. We remove the spring balance and‬
‭attach a 0.50 kg object to the end, pull it a distance of 0.040 m, release it, and watch it oscillate in SHM.‬
‭Find the following quantities:‬
‭(a)‬ ‭the force constant of the spring.‬
‭(b)‬ ‭the maximum and minimum velocities attained by the vibrating object.‬
‭(c)‬ ‭the maximum and minimum acceleration.‬
‭(d)‬ ‭the velocity and acceleration when the object has moved halfway to the center from its initial position.‬
‭(e)‬ ‭the kinetic energy, the potential energy, and the total energy in the halfway position.‬

‭Ans. (a) 200 N/m, (b) 0.80 m/s, (c) 16.0 m/s‬‭2‬‭, (d)‬‭-0.69 m/s, -8.0 m/s‬‭2‬‭, (e) 0.12 J, 0.040 J, 0.16 J‬
‭Accelerated Physics‬ ‭Simple Harmonic Motion Notes‬ ‭Pg.‬‭7‬

‭ he Mass on a String / Simple Pendulum‬

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‭When a pendulum swings back and forth, a string or thin rod constrains the bob to move along a circular‬
‭arc. However,‬‭for oscillations with small amplitude‬‭(or angle θ)‬‭, we assume the bob moves back and forth‬
‭along the x-axis; the vertical motion of bob is negligible. All of the concepts for the period, frequency,‬
‭amplitude, and energy for a pendulum are the same as for the mass on a spring.‬

‭where‬

‭where‬

a‭ nd‬
‭Therefore, the equation for the period of a pendulum is:‬

‭where‬‭l‬‭is the length of the pendulum, and‬

‭g‬‭is the acceleration due to gravity at the location‬‭of the pendulum.‬

‭ longer length will have a longer period, while a stronger gravitational field will shorten the period of a‬
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‭pendulum. Notice also that the period of the pendulum is independent of its mass.‬

‭ xample #7:‬
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‭A pendulum clock keeps perfect time at a location where the acceleration due to gravity is exactly 9.80‬
‭m/s‬‭2‬‭. When the clock is moved to a higher altitude,‬‭it loses 80.0 seconds per day. Find the value of‬‭g‬‭at‬
‭this new location.‬

‭Ans.‬‭g’‬‭= 9.78 m/s‬‭2‬

‭Accelerated Physics‬ ‭Simple Harmonic Motion Notes‬ ‭Pg.‬‭8‬

‭Energy and Simple Harmonic Motion‬

‭Total Energy = Potential Energy + Kinetic Energy = a constant‬

‭ hus, whatever potential energy is lost must be gained by kinetic‬

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‭energy, and vice-versa. As long as no energy is lost to the‬
‭surroundings, the mass on the spring continues to oscillate.‬

‭where‬ ‭and‬

‭Elastic Potential Energy:‬ ‭Kinetic Energy:‬ ‭Total‬‭Energy of a SHO is:‬

‭ escribing Simple Harmonic Motion using Energy Graphs‬

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‭Shown below are graphs of total mechanical energy, potential energy and kinetic energy as functions of‬
‭position‬‭for the mass. The mass is pulled back to‬‭x = + 1 m and released from rest. The spring constant is‬
‭10 N/m and the mass of 0.5 kg.‬

‭ lthough the potential energy and kinetic energy vary, they do so in such a way to keep the total energy‬
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‭constant. What is also nice is the result you find algebraically if you take the expression for the kinetic‬
‭1‬ ‭2‬
‭energy and set it equal to‬ ‭2‬ ‭𝑚‭𝑣
‬ ‬ ‭and solve‬‭for the speed to get:‬

‭where‬

‭The graphs on the below show how kinetic energy, potential energy and total energy would vary over‬‭time‬‭.‬
‭Accelerated Physics‬ ‭Simple Harmonic Motion Notes‬ ‭Pg.‬‭9‬

‭ xample #8:‬
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‭A mass‬‭m‬‭is attached to a light string of length, L, making a simple pendulum. It is displaced an angle θ‬
‭from the vertical and released at t = 0. Directly below the pivot point of the pendulum is a stationary‬
‭second mass‬‭m‬‭equal to the first, attached to a spring of constant‬‭k‬‭on a frictionless, horizontal surface.‬
‭When the first mass collides with the stationary mass, the first mass detaches from the string and sticks to‬
‭the second mass.‬
‭(a) At what time will the spring first reach its maximum compression?‬
‭(b) Find the amplitude of the spring oscillation.‬

‭Ans. (a)‬ ‭, (b)‬