oscillations

Laili Marlina Khaidir

Physics Lecturer,
INTEC Education College
SIMPLE
HARMONIC
MOTION
Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM)

+ When a body repeats its motion after regular time intervals we

say that it is in harmonic motion or periodic motion.
+ The time interval after which the motion is repeated is called
the time period.
+ A periodic motion where the system performs a repeated to
and fro motion between two positions is called an oscillation.
Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM)

+ Simple harmonic motion (SHM) is a special type of

oscillation in which;
• The particle oscillates without loss of energy,
• The acceleration of the particle is always directed towards a fixed point
on the line and
• Its magnitude is proportional to the displacement of the particle from this
point.
• This fixed point is called the center of oscillation.
 Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM)
The block is at position O when the spring is at
natural length.

The block is then taken to a point P stretching the

spring by the distance OP = A

At any point on its path the displacement, x of the

particle is equal to the extension of the spring

Hence, the resultant force on the particle :

F = - kx
Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM)
When the block is released from P:
• F acts toward the centre O
• The block is accelerated in that direction
• Speed increases all the time from P to O

When the block reaches O:

• Its speed is max
• Going towards left
• The spring become compressed
• The spring pushes the block towards right
• Its speed decreases

The block move to Q:

• Speed is zero
• The spring is now compressed and pushes the block towards right
• The speed increases up to O and decreases to zero when it reaches
P
+ SHM can also be related to the motion of a body
subjected to a resultant force which is directly
proportional to its displacement from a fixed point
and always directed towards that point.

F = - kx
+ A body is in simple harmonic motion (SHM) if its
acceleration is directly proportional to its displacement x
from a fixed point and is always directed towards that
fixed point.
KINEMATICS
OF SHM
Point of Equilibrium

Referring to the definition of SHM :

+ The acceleration or resultant force on the body in
motion is always directed towards a fixed point. This
fixed point is known as the point of equilibrium.
+ At the point of equilibrium, there is no resultant force
acting on the body. Hence the acceleration of the
body is zero.
The displacement x of the body is measured from the point of
equilibrium
 acceleration

a ∝ −x
displacement

Equil. position
a a a a
+ From the definition of SHM, the resultant force
F on a mass m when its displacement is x from
the point of equilibrium :
Equations of SHM
+ Movement of particle
oscillating with SHM Distance, x
follows a similar pattern to
circular motion, so the
equations for angular Velocity, v
velocity, displacement,
frequency, and time
Acceleration, a
period equally valid for
SHM.
 Definition
:
a = −ω x 2
where ω2 is a constant
Mathematical
……... integrating………
Derivations
……... integrating ………

We obtain another four equations of

motion involving:
a , v , x and t .
 x = A cos
Equations of ωt
v = − ωA sin
Motion (SHM) ωt
a = − ω2A cos
ωt
a = −ω x [the definition]
2
 x x=A
Displacement-T A cos ωt
ime Graph
0 t

-
A
 v v = − ωA
ω sin ωt
Velocity-Time A
Graph
0 t

−
ωA
 a a=−ωA
2

Acceleration- ω2 cos ωt
A
Time Graph

0 t

−ω2
A
 a = −ω2x [the definition]
Acceleration-Di
splacement a
Graph ω 2A

0 x
-A A

−ω2
A
 Displacement, x:
x = A cos (ωt)

Graphs Velocity, v:
v = -Aω sin (ωt)
Displacement x, velocity v v = -vmax sin (ωt)
and acceleration a of a Acceleration, a:
particle in simple a = -Aω2 cos (ωt)
harmonic motion can be = -Amax cos (ωt)
represented by either a = - xω2
sine function or a cosine
function.
+ The formula for the velocity of the body at different displacements
can be deduced from the equation of acceleration

When x = A, velocity v = 0

C = constant of integration
 Exercise 1

The graph shows the relationship between

the force F and its displacement x from
a fixed point for a body mass 1.6kg
which is in SHM.
Find the:
(a) Amplitude
(b) Period
(c) Maximum speed of the body
Exercise 2

The following graph show

the variation of
displacement x and
velocity v with time t for a
body in SHM. What is the
value of T?
Exercise 3

A particle moves in SHM along a straight line about point x=0. At time t = 0,
displacement x = 0.40 cm and the velocity is zero. The frequency of the motion is 2.5 Hz.
(a) period
(b) angular velocity
(c) amplitude
(d) displacement at time t
(e) velocity at time t
EXAMPLES
OF SHM
SIMPLE
PENDULUM
SIMPLE
PENDULUM
 LOADED SPRING
From the equation of Hooke’s law and Newton’s Second
law:
Exercise 4

A mass of 0.50 kg on a smooth

horizontal surface is attached to a light
helical spring. The mass is displaced a
distance of 0.025 m from the
equilibrium position by a force of 2.0 N
and then released. Calculate the
(a) amplitude
(b) period
(c) frequency
of the subsequent SHM.
ENERGY
IN SHM

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

Energy in SHM

+ The total energy of a body in simple harmonic motion is

the sum of its Kinetic Energy, K and its potential Energy,
U.
+ In a closed system where there is no external force acting
on it, the total energy is conserved
E=K+U
Energy in SHM

+
Kinetic energy at x displacement

Total Energy of a system, E = kinetic energy at x = 0

Total Energy, E = K + U

Potential Energy, U
Exercise 5

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. Find the
(a) amplitude
(b) period
(c) velocity of the particle when x = 0.2 m
(d) force on the particle when x = 0.2 m
DAMPED &
FORCED
OSCILLATIONS,
RESONANCE
Free Oscillations

+ Free oscillations are

oscillations which are not
disturbed by external
forces.
+ In a free oscillation, no
energy is lost from the
system. Hence, the total
energy is conserved.
Damped Oscillations

+ Oscillations whose amplitude decreases are known as damped oscillations.

+ Damping is caused by energy lost from the system in the form of heat air.
Simple pendulum (air resistance)
Spring (Internal forces)
+ There are 3 types of damping:
Underdamping
Critical damping
Over damping
+ In the diagram on the right
the blue spring is
experiencing damping but
not the black spring
+ Damping causes a decrease
in amplitude and energy but
the frequency of the
oscillation remain unchanged.
Underdamping / Light damping
• The period of oscillation is slightly larger as
compared to the period of free oscillation
• The amplitude of oscillation decreases exponentially
to zero.

Critical Damping
• The amount of damping is just sufficient to prevent
oscillation and not too large to delay the return to
the equilibrium position.
• The motion stops after a short time interval.
• Usually applied in the shock absorbers of cars.

Over Damping
• The resistance to motion is too large that
displacement takes a very long time to return to its
equilibrium position
Forced
Oscillation
+ The oscillation produced by an external
periodic force is known as forced oscillation.
• The frequency produced is the same
as the frequency of the external
periodic force.
• The amplitude depends on the
frequency of the external periodic
force relative to the natural frequency
of the system.
Resonance

+ Resonance occurs when the driving frequency most

efficiently transfers its energy to the driven system.
+ The amplitude therefore increases as more of the driving
force's energy is taken into the system.
Resonance
+ When pendulum X oscillates, it
supplied energy to the other
pendulums making them to oscillate.
+ It was observed that pendulum C
oscillates with the largest amplitude.
+ This is because pendulum X and
pendulum C have the same pendulum
length.
• The natural frequency of an oscillating system depends on its
pendulum length.

+ Therefore pendulum X and pendulum

C are of the same natural frequency.
Hence pendulum C is at resonance.
Resonance
+ A system is driven with varying
frequencies and the resultant system
amplitude plotted against driving
frequency.
+ From the graph you can see that all
systems exhibit resonance when the
driving frequency is equal to their natural
frequency, fn.
+ Resonance occurs when the amplitude of
a forced oscillation is maximum
+ When there is no damping, the
amplitude of the driven system will be
very large at resonance