LGB 10802 / PHYSICS CHAPTER 4 SIMPLE HARMONIC MOTION

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CHAPTER 4 SIMPLE HARMONIC MOTION

The motion of a simple pendulum and the vibration of a loaded spring are examples of type
of oscillation, which also called simple harmonic motion.

A. Characteristics of simple harmonic motion
A body is in simple harmonic motion (SHM) if its acceleration is proportional to its
displacement from a fixed point O, and is always directed towards that fixed point.
Acceleration, a x, displacement
A = -
2
x (
2
= positive constant)

- The negative sign denotes that the direction of the acceleration a is in the opposite
direction to the displacement x.
Simple harmonic motion (SHM) may be defined as the motion of a body which is subjected
to a resultant force which is directly proportional to the displacement of the body from a
fixed point and always directed towards that fixed point.
Resultant force, F x, displacement
F = -kx (k = positive constant)

The fixed point referred to in the above definition is known as the point of equilibrium.
- The acceleration of the body is zero
- The resultant force on the body is zero
The displacement x is measured from the point of equilibrium. The maximum distance from
the point of equilibrium x
0
is known as the amplitude A of the simple harmonic motion.
The period T of a simple harmonic motion is the time taken for a complete oscillation.
The frequency f of the motion is the number of complete oscillations per second. The unit
for frequency is the hertz (Hz).
Frequency, f =

f =

B. Displacement, velocity and acceleration of simple harmonics motion
From the definition of simple harmonic motion, the resultant force F on the body of mass m
when its displacement from the point of equilibrium x is given by

F = -kx

Using F = ma = -kx,
Acceleration, a = -(

Where

= angular frequency of the SHM

Angular frequency = 2f
=

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Referring to figure below, at the point of equilibrium
- x = 0, F = 0, and a = 0
- When x = x
0
, that is , at the amplitude,
- Magnitude of F is maximum
- Magnitude of a is maximum, |a
max
| =
2
x
0














The equation

2
x is a second order differential equation, and its general solution is

sin (t + )
where (t + ) is a constant known as the phase or phase angle of the SHM and is the
phase constant. The value of depends on the initial condition which gives the value of x
when t = 0.
To show that

sin (t + ) is the general solution to the equation

2
x,
differentiate the expression

sin (t + ) twice as shown below

sin (t + )

Velocity, v =

cos (t + )

Acceleration, a =

sin (t + )

=

Therefore

sin (t + ) is the general solution of the equation

2
x
The displacement x of the particle from O after a time = t is given by

sin t

Velocity, v =

cos t

Acceleration, a =

sin t =

-x
0

x
0

0
F
x
x
0

-x
0

0
-
2
x
0

2
x
0

a
x
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The graphs for the motion of this particle are as shown in figure below



































C. Kinetic energy and potential energy in simple harmonic motion
When a body of mass m is in simple harmonic motion, its total energy = kinetic energy +
potential energy
E = K + U
Kinetic energy, K =

When the body is at the equilibrium point, x = 0, and kinetic energy is the maximum,
T
T
T
2T
2T
2T

sin t

sin t

sin (t + )

cos t

sin (t +

Displacement, x
Velocity, v
Acceleration, a
x
0

-x
0

x
0

-x
0

0
0

2
x
0

0
-
2
x
0

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K
max
=

When x = x
0
, kinetic energy is the minimum, K
min
= 0
The potential energy U of the body is assumed to be zero when it is at the equilibrium point,
x = 0.
Since total energy, E = K + U and when x = 0, K =

E =

+ 0

Hence total energy, E =

= constant

For any displacement x, E = K + U

+ U

Hence potential energy,
U =

For a body which is in SHM, U =

Force on the body, F =

= - (gradient of U x graph)
= -

If a time = 0, x = 0, the displacement x of a particle in SHM is given by x = x
0
sin t, then
- Velocity
v =

cos t
- Kinetic energy
K =

- Potential energy
U = E K

=

)

=

Variation of E, K and U with x
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Example 4.1

A particle of mass 2 kg performs simple harmonic motion
and its potential energy U changes with displacement x from
a fixed point as shown in the graph. Determine
a) The amplitude
b) The period
c) The velocity of the particle when x = 0.2 m
d) The force on the particle when x = 0.2 m


Solutions

(a) Amplitude, x
0
= maximum displacement
= 0.4 m

(b) At the amplitude x = 0.4 m, U = 16 J

Variation of K, U
and E with time
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(c) When x = 0.2 m, U = 4 J
Kinetic energy, K = E U
= 16 4 = 12 J

If v = velocity of particle when x = 0.2 m,

= 12

(d) Force on the particle, F = -

When x = 0.2 m,

F = - (2)(10)
2
(0.2)N ( = 10 rads
-1
)

= - 40 N




D. Systems in simple harmonic motion
Spring Mass System
- An example of a linear SHM is the vibration of a load at the end of a spring as shown in
figure below.






(a)
(b)
O
mg
A
mg
O
B
e
x
a
T
o

T
1

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- Figure above shows a load of mass m hanging in equilibrium at the end of a vertical spring of
force constant k. The equilibrium extension of the spring is e.
- Assuming that
The spring obeys Hookes Law
The mass of the spring is negligible
Tension in the spring, T
o
= ke =mg (weight of the load) -------------- (1)
- Based on the figure above, the load is then pulled down to A, such that the distance OA is
less than the equilibrium extension e. After the load is released, it oscillates between A and
B. The amplitude of the oscillation is OA = OB.
- The displacement of the load from the equilibrium point O is x, and the tension in the spring
is
T
1
= k (e + x)
- If the acceleration of the load is a, using
F = ma
mg T
1
= ma
mg (ke + kx) = ma [From (1), ke = mg]
-kx = ma
Acceleration, a = -(

- Motion of the load is SHM, with

)
=

[From (1),

- Period of the SHM is T =

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Simple Pendulum
- A simple pendulum consists of a heavy bob of mass m at the end of a string of length l as
shown in figure below. When the bob of the simple pendulum is in equilibrium, the string is
vertical and the bob is at O. Hence O is the point of equilibrium.
- The weight mg of the bob produces a torque in the clockwise direction. Taking the
anticlockwise direction as positive,
Torque, = -mg (l sin )
- The bob is displaced through a small angle to A and then released. The bob oscillates
between A and B. Oscillation of the simple pendulum is an example of angular simple
harmonic motion.





- Using = I

where I = ml
2
is the moment of inertia of the bob about the point of
suspension P.
-mg(l sin ) = (ml
2

- Assuming that the angle is small, then sin = in radians

= - (

- Therefore the simple pendulum is in SHM with

Period, T =

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Torsional Pendulum
- Another example of angular SHM is the torsional pendulum which consists of a heavy rod
suspended from a torsion wire about its centre of mass O as shown in figure.








- The heavy rod is turned through an angular displacement about the torsion wire and then
released. The rod oscillates about the torsion wire.
- The torque in the torsion wire that tries to restore the rod to its initial position is given by
Hookes law as C, where C is the torsional constant of the torsion wire.
- Using = I

where I = ml
2
is the moment of inertia of the rod about the torsion wire
- C = I

- Therefore the motion of the torsional pendulum is SHM with

- Period, T ==

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Example 4.2
A block of mass 2.5 kg on a smooth horizontal surface is attached to a helical spring as shown in the
figure. The block is displaced 0.20 m from its equilibrium position by a force of 5.0 N and then released.



(a) Show that the subsequent motion of the block is simple harmonic
(b) Determine the frequency of the simple harmonic motion.

Solutions





(a) When F= 5.0 N, x = 0.20 m
Using F = kx
k =

Using F = ma
T = ma and since T = kx
kx = ma
Acceleration, a = -(

Motion of the load is SHM, with

)
=

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(b) Using = 2f,
f =

f =

= 0.503 Hz