Harmonic Vibration

Module 2 – Week 7
 SIMPLE PENDULUM

HARMONIC VIBRATION
→ Also known as Simple
Harmonic Motion (SHM), is a
repetitive oscillation motion
which the maximum
displacement is equal on either
side of movement.
 TYPES OF HARMONIC VIBRATION

FREE VIBRATION
Free vibrations are ones that you create and
permit to occur. They are typically desired, much
like a tuning fork. Typically, a free vibration has a
solution that is roughly sinusoidal. A wide range of
frequencies can result in vibrations. Usually, there
will be one or more frequencies where the
loudness is increasing. A free vibration has a
constant amplitude at the point of maximum
stability. It doesn't deteriorate or expand.

Note: Both vibrations have the potential to be harmonic or not

 TYPES OF HARMONIC VIBRATION

FORCED VIBRATION
When a mechanical system experiences a
time-variance disturbance, such as the
shaking a washing machine causes, forced
vibrations result. We now have an
additional force to add, namely the
external harmonic excitation, to the
system's free-body diagram.

Note: Both vibrations have the potential to be harmonic or not

 @ Equilibrium
FBD of object

σ 𝐹𝑦 =0
T = W = mg → eq.1
@Any point during motion

σ 𝐹𝑥 =0
-Tx =ma
2

Where: -Tsinθ =m𝑑 𝑥2

𝑑𝑡
T = Tension of Cable (N , lbf) 𝑥 𝑑2𝑥
m = Mass of object (kgm , lbm) -T(𝐿) =m 2 → eq.2
𝑑
 Substitute eq. 1 → eq.2
X d2X
-T( ) = m ; T = mg
L dt 2
X d2X
-mg( ) = m
L dt 2
d2X g
dt 2
+ Lx = 0
Therefore,
g
ωn = L

1 g 1
f = 2π = 2π ωn
L

1
p= f
Where:
T = Tension of Cable (N , lbf)
m = Mass of object (kgm , lbm)
 @ Any point during motion
FBD of object
σ Fx = ma
d2X
-Tx1 – Tx2 = m dt 2
d2X
-T1sinθ - T2sinβ = m dt 2
X X d2X
-T1( ) – T2( ) = m
b c dt 2

X T1 T2 d2X
- ( + )=
m b c dt 2

X T1 c + T2 d2X
- b( )=
m bc dt 2

Where: b is not equal to c d2X T 1c + T 2b

+ x=0
T1 & T2 = Tension of Cables (N , lbf) dt 2 bcm
m = Mass of object (kgm , lbm)
 @ Any point during motion
FBD of object
σ Fx = ma
d2X
-Tx1 – Tx2 = m dt 2
d2X
-T1sinθ - T2sinβ = m dt 2
X X d2X
-T1( ) – T2( ) = m
b c dt 2

X T T d 2X
- ( 1 + 2) =
m b c dt 2

T c + T2 2X
X
- b( 1 )= d
m bc dt 2

d2X T 1c + T 2b
+ x=0
Where: b is not equal to c dt 2 bcm
T1 & T2 = Tension of Cables (N , lbf)
m = Mass of object (kgm , lbm)
 Therefore,

NATURAL FREQUENCY, radians per second

T 1c + T 2b
ωn =
bcm

FREQUENCY, cycles per second or Hertz

1 T 1c + T 2b 1
f= = ωn
2π bcm 2π

PERIOD, seconds
1
p= f
Where: b is not equal to c
T1 & T2 = Tension of Cables (N , lbf)
m = Mass of object (kgm , lbm)
 SAMPLE PROBLEMS
Problem 1: A 0.50-kg object is attached to a horizontal spring whose spring constant is
k=300 N/m and undergoing a simple harmonic motion. Calculate its
(a) Period (b) Frequency (c) Angular Frequency

Imagine an object is attached to an unstretched spring, displaces the spring from its
equilibrium, and then releases. After releasing, the object undergoes a simple harmonic
motion. The period and frequency of such simple harmonic motion are obtained by the
following formula
𝑚 1 𝑘
𝑇 = 2𝜋 , 𝑓=
𝑘 2𝜋 𝑚

where m is the mass of the object and k, is a constant that indicates the stiffness of the spring, called
the spring constant.
 SAMPLE PROBLEMS
SOLUTION:

(a) Substituting the values into the above formula for the period, we have
0.5
𝑇 = 2𝜋 = 𝟎. 𝟐𝟓𝟔𝒔
200

(b) To find the frequency, we can use the formula above or use f= 1/T, instead. Thus,
1
𝑓= = 𝟎. 𝟗𝑯𝒛
0.256

(c) Angular frequency is related to the frequency or period of oscillation as ω= 2πf = 2π/T.
Therefore,
𝒓𝒂𝒅
𝜔 = 2𝜋𝑓 = 2𝜋 3.9 = 𝟐𝟒. 𝟓
𝒔
 SAMPLE PROBLEMS
Problem 2: A scale is stretched by 3.2 cm when a 2.4 kg object is attached.
(a) Find the spring stiffness constant.
(b) Now suppose, the object is lowered down from its rest as much as 2 cm and released.
Find the period and frequency of the oscillations.
(c) Write down the vertical displacement vs. time equation for this system.
 SAMPLE PROBLEMS
The spring-mass system has a simple harmonic motion in which the period and frequency of oscillations
are given by the following formula
𝑚 1 𝑘
𝑇 = 2𝜋 , 𝑓=
𝑘 2𝜋 𝑚
where k is the spring stiffness constant.

SOLUTION:
(a) In this problem k is unknown and is found by applying Newton's second law of motion for the
vertical forces, downward weight, and upward spring force, acting on the object. These forces are in
balance because the object is at rest after stretching.
 SAMPLE PROBLEMS
Thus, when a load is hanged from a spring (say a scale) the spring constant is computed as

𝑚𝑔 (2.4)(9.8)
𝑘= = = 𝟕. 𝟑𝟓(𝑵 × 𝒎−𝟏 )
𝑥0 3.2

In the above, 𝑥0 is the maximum distance when a load stretches an unloaded spring.

(b) The initial configuration (after hanging an object from the scale) is at rest with no oscillations. This
situation is called the equilibrium state.

Any agent that disrupted this situation can cause oscillation in the mass-spring system.

In this example problem, the object is pushed from its equilibrium point by 2cm2cm and comes to
another rest.
 SAMPLE PROBLEMS
The period, which is the time required to complete one cycle, is obtained as
𝑚 2.4
𝑇 = 2𝜋 = 2𝜋 = 𝟑. 𝟔𝒔
𝑘 7.35
The frequency of the oscillations which indicates the number of full cycles per second is the inverse of
the period
1 1
𝑓= = = 𝟎. 𝟐𝟖𝑯𝒛
𝑇 3.6

(c) The vertical displacement vs. time equation for a simple harmonic motion is
as y=Asin(ωt) or y=Acos(ω)t which depends on the initial configuration of the system. ω=2π/T= 2πf is
the angular frequency.
 SAMPLE PROBLEMS
The former case is for when the object is attached to an unstretched spring, i.e., 𝑥0 ​=0. The
latter case is for an object that is hung from a stretched spring, i.e., 𝑥0 =0, see figures.

This spring-mass system starts its oscillations when the spring was initially stretched some
length so we must use the cosine function.
2𝜋
𝑦 = 𝐴𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑡
𝑇

2𝜋
𝑦 = (0.2)𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑡
3.6

𝟓𝝅
𝒚 = (𝟎. 𝟐𝒎)𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝒕
𝟗
 SAMPLE PROBLEMS
Problem 3: An object of 45 N is hanging from a spring vertically. The spring is stretched
from its equilibrium point by 0.14 m. What is the spring constant?

Solution:
The spring is initially unloaded and unstretched. Hanging a 45-N object from it causes it to stretch by
0.14 m. This system is at rest and so at equilibrium. Applying Newton's second law gives the following
formula to find the spring stiffness constant
𝑚𝑔 45
𝑘= = = 𝟑𝟐𝟏. 𝟒𝑵 × 𝒎−𝟏
𝑥0 0.14

Note that 𝑥0 is the length the unloaded spring is initially stretched by an object's weight.