PHY F111: Mechanics, Oscillations and Waves

Physics Department
 Lecture 22

C OUPLED O SCILLATIONS
T WO C OUPLED O SCILLATORS

Radhika Vathsan, Physics@BITS-Goa, 2024

 Lecture 22

C OUPLED O SCILLATIONS
T WO C OUPLED O SCILLATORS

1 General method for finding normal modes

Radhika Vathsan, Physics@BITS-Goa, 2024

 General method for finding normal modes
illustrated in this symmetric case...
1 Write out the n EoM’s for each degree of freedom.

mẍA + mω02 xA + k(xA − xB ) = 0, (1a)

mẍB + mω02 xB − k(xA − xB ) = 0. (1b)

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 1/7

 General method for finding normal modes
illustrated in this symmetric case...
1 Write out the n EoM’s for each degree of freedom.

mẍA + mω02 xA + k(xA − xB ) = 0, (1a)

mẍB + mω02 xB − k(xA − xB ) = 0. (1b)
2 There will n normal modes. All pendula execute SHM with a common frequency.

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 1/7

 General method for finding normal modes
illustrated in this symmetric case...
1 Write out the n EoM’s for each degree of freedom.

mẍA + mω02 xA + k(xA − xB ) = 0, (1a)

mẍB + mω02 xB − k(xA − xB ) = 0. (1b)
2 There will n normal modes. All pendula execute SHM with a common frequency.

In the ith mode, xA = ℜ(Ai eωi t ), xB = ℜ(Bi eωi t ) (2)

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 1/7

 General method for finding normal modes
illustrated in this symmetric case...
1 Write out the n EoM’s for each degree of freedom.

mẍA + mω02 xA + k(xA − xB ) = 0, (1a)

mẍB + mω02 xB − k(xA − xB ) = 0. (1b)
2 There will n normal modes. All pendula execute SHM with a common frequency.

In the ith mode, xA = ℜ(Ai eωi t ), xB = ℜ(Bi eωi t ) (2)

3 To find: ωi , Ai , Bi , plug (2) into (1a), (1b):

[−ωi2 Ai + ω02 Ai + ωc (Ai − Bi )]eωi t = 0, (3a)

[−ωi2 Bi + ω02 Bi − ωc (Ai − Bi )]eωi t = 0 (3b)

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 1/7

 General method for finding normal modes: eigenvalues

4 Rewrite equations (3a), (3b):

ω02 + ωc2 − ωi2 Ai − ωc2 Bi = 0

(4a)
−ωc2 Ai + ω02 + ωc2 − ωi2 Bi = 0.


(4b)

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 2/7

 General method for finding normal modes: eigenvalues

4 Rewrite equations (3a), (3b):

ω02 + ωc2 − ωi2 Ai − ωc2 Bi = 0

(4a)
−ωc2 Ai + ω02 + ωc2 − ωi2 Bi = 0.


(4b)

This can be written in matrix form as

 2
ω0 + ωc2 − ωi2 −ωc2
   
Ai 0
= . (5)
−ωc2 ω02 + ωc2 − ωi2 Bi 0

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 2/7

 General method for finding normal modes: eigenvalues

4 Rewrite equations (3a), (3b):

ω02 + ωc2 − ωi2 Ai − ωc2 Bi = 0

(4a)
−ωc2 Ai + ω02 + ωc2 − ωi2 Bi = 0.


(4b)

This can be written in matrix form as

 2
ω0 + ωc2 − ωi2 −ωc2
   
Ai 0
= . (5)
−ωc2 ω02 + ωc2 − ωi2 Bi 0

[M ] − ωi2 1 ξ⃗i = 0 has non-trivial solutions only if det [M ] = 0.

5

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 2/7

 General method for finding normal modes: eigenvalues

4 Rewrite equations (3a), (3b):

ω02 + ωc2 − ωi2 Ai − ωc2 Bi = 0

(4a)
−ωc2 Ai + ω02 + ωc2 − ωi2 Bi = 0.


(4b)

This can be written in matrix form as

 2
ω0 + ωc2 − ωi2 −ωc2
   
Ai 0
= . (5)
−ωc2 ω02 + ωc2 − ωi2 Bi 0

[M ] − ωi2 1 ξ⃗i = 0 has non-trivial solutions only if det [M ] = 0.

5

2
ω02 + ωc2 − ωi2 − ωc4 = 0

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 2/7

 General method for finding normal modes: eigenvalues

4 Rewrite equations (3a), (3b):

ω02 + ωc2 − ωi2 Ai − ωc2 Bi = 0

(4a)
−ωc2 Ai + ω02 + ωc2 − ωi2 Bi = 0.


(4b)

This can be written in matrix form as

 2
ω0 + ωc2 − ωi2 −ωc2
   
Ai 0
= . (5)
−ωc2 ω02 + ωc2 − ωi2 Bi 0

[M ] − ωi2 1 ξ⃗i = 0 has non-trivial solutions only if det [M ] = 0.

5

2
ω02 + ωc2 − ωi2 − ωc4 = 0 : Eigenvalue Equation

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 2/7

 General method for finding normal modes: eigenvalues

4 Rewrite equations (3a), (3b):

ω02 + ωc2 − ωi2 Ai − ωc2 Bi = 0

(4a)
−ωc2 Ai + ω02 + ωc2 − ωi2 Bi = 0.


(4b)

This can be written in matrix form as

 2
ω0 + ωc2 − ωi2 −ωc2
   
Ai 0
= . (5)
−ωc2 ω02 + ωc2 − ωi2 Bi 0

[M ] − ωi2 1 ξ⃗i = 0 has non-trivial solutions only if det [M ] = 0.

5

2
ω02 + ωc2 − ωi2 − ωc4 = 0 : Eigenvalue Equation

=⇒ ω12 = ω02 , ω22 = ω02 + 2ωc2 .

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 2/7

 General method for finding normal modes: eigenvectors
 
Ai
6 Solutions for : eigenvectors: amplitudes of each oscillator in the normal modes.
Bi

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 3/7

 General method for finding normal modes: eigenvectors
 
Ai
6 Solutions for : eigenvectors: amplitudes of each oscillator in the normal modes.
Bi
7 First mode: ω1 = ±ω0 . Substitute in (5) =⇒ A1 = B1 = Aeiϕ1

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 3/7

 General method for finding normal modes: eigenvectors
 
Ai
6 Solutions for : eigenvectors: amplitudes of each oscillator in the normal modes.
Bi
7 First mode: ω1 = ±ω0 . Substitute in (5) =⇒ A1 = B1 = Aeiϕ1
q
8 Second mode: ω2 = ± ω02 + 2ωc2 . Substitute in (5) =⇒ A2 = −B2 = Aeiϕ2 .

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 3/7

 General method for finding normal modes: eigenvectors
 
Ai
6 Solutions for : eigenvectors: amplitudes of each oscillator in the normal modes.
Bi
7 First mode: ω1 = ±ω0 . Substitute in (5) =⇒ A1 = B1 = Aeiϕ1
q
8 Second mode: ω2 = ± ω02 + 2ωc2 . Substitute in (5) =⇒ A2 = −B2 = Aeiϕ2 .
9 General solution to the problem: linear combination of the two modes.

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 3/7

 General method for finding normal modes: eigenvectors
 
Ai
6 Solutions for : eigenvectors: amplitudes of each oscillator in the normal modes.
Bi
7 First mode: ω1 = ±ω0 . Substitute in (5) =⇒ A1 = B1 = Aeiϕ1
q
8 Second mode: ω2 = ± ω02 + 2ωc2 . Substitute in (5) =⇒ A2 = −B2 = Aeiϕ2 .
9 General solution to the problem: linear combination of the two modes.
Absorb all constants, take real part:
     
xA (t) 1 1
=C cos(ω1 t + ϕ1 ) + D cos(ω2 t + ϕ2 ).
xB (t) 1 −1

C, D, ϕ1 and ϕ2 are fixed by initial conditions.

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 3/7

 Normal coordinates

Normal mode 1
Frequency: ω0  
1
Coordinate: ξ1 = C ≡ C(xA + xB ).
1
1
Normalize this vector: C = √ .
2

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 4/7

 Normal coordinates

Normal mode 1
Frequency: ω0  
1
Coordinate: ξ1 = C ≡ C(xA + xB ).
1
1
Normalize this vector: C = √ .
2

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 4/7

 Normal coordinates

Normal mode 1
Frequency: ω0  
1
Coordinate: ξ1 = C ≡ C(xA + xB ).
1
1
Normalize this vector: C = √ .
2

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 4/7

 Normal coordinates

Normal mode 1
Frequency: ω0  
1
Coordinate: ξ1 = C ≡ C(xA + xB ).
1
1
Normalize this vector: C = √ .
2

Normal mode 2
Frequency ω2 = ω02 + 2ω
2
c
1
Coordinate: ξ2 = D ≡ D(xA − xB ).
−1
1
Normalize this vector: D = √ .
2
Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 4/7
 “Normality” of the modes

Think of the coefficients of xA and xB as components of a vector:

   
1 0
xA ≡ ; xB ≡ .
0 1

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 5/7

 “Normality” of the modes

Think of the coefficients of xA and xB as components of a vector:

   
1 0
xA ≡ ; xB ≡ .
0 1

So,    
1 1 1 1
ξ⃗1 = √ ; ξ⃗1 = √
2 1 2 −1

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 5/7

 “Normality” of the modes

Think of the coefficients of xA and xB as components of a vector:

   
1 0
xA ≡ ; xB ≡ .
0 1

So,    
1 1 1 1
ξ⃗1 = √ ; ξ⃗1 = √
2 1 2 −1
Take the dot product of the two modes:
1
ξ⃗1 · ξ⃗2 = (1 − 1) = 0.
2

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 5/7

 “Normality” of the modes

Think of the coefficients of xA and xB as components of a vector:

   
1 0
xA ≡ ; xB ≡ .
0 1

So,    
1 1 1 1
ξ⃗1 = √ ; ξ⃗1 = √
2 1 2 −1
Take the dot product of the two modes:
1
ξ⃗1 · ξ⃗2 = (1 − 1) = 0.
2
The two modes are thus “normal” to each other: have no component along each other,
are completely independent.
Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 5/7
 Energy in each normal mode
g
Mode 1: xA = xB = A cos(ω1 t), ẋA = ẋB = −Aω1 sin(ω1 t); ω12 = .
l

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 6/7

 Energy in each normal mode
g
Mode 1: xA = xB = A cos(ω1 t), ẋA = ẋB = −Aω1 sin(ω1 t); ω12 = .
l

1 1 mg
KE1 = m(2A2 ω12 sin2 ω1 t); P E1 = (2A2 cos2 ω1 t);
2 2 l

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 6/7

 Energy in each normal mode
g
Mode 1: xA = xB = A cos(ω1 t), ẋA = ẋB = −Aω1 sin(ω1 t); ω12 = .
l

1 1 mg
KE1 = m(2A2 ω12 sin2 ω1 t); P E1 = (2A2 cos2 ω1 t);
2 2 l
E1 = mω12 A2 .

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 6/7

 Energy in each normal mode
g
Mode 1: xA = xB = A cos(ω1 t), ẋA = ẋB = −Aω1 sin(ω1 t); ω12 = .
l

1 1 mg
KE1 = m(2A2 ω12 sin2 ω1 t); P E1 = (2A2 cos2 ω1 t);
2 2 l
E1 = mω12 A2 .

g 2k
Mode 2: xA = −xB = A cos(ω2 t), ẋA = −ẋB = −ω2 A sin(ω2 t); ω22 = + .
l m

m mg k
KE2 = (2A2 ω22 sin2 ω2 t); P E2 = (2A2 cos2 ω2 t) + (2A cos ω2 t)2
2 2l 2

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 6/7

 Energy in each normal mode
g
Mode 1: xA = xB = A cos(ω1 t), ẋA = ẋB = −Aω1 sin(ω1 t); ω12 = .
l

1 1 mg
KE1 = m(2A2 ω12 sin2 ω1 t); P E1 = (2A2 cos2 ω1 t);
2 2 l
E1 = mω12 A2 .

g 2k
Mode 2: xA = −xB = A cos(ω2 t), ẋA = −ẋB = −ω2 A sin(ω2 t); ω22 = + .
l m

m mg k
KE2 = (2A2 ω22 sin2 ω2 t); P E2 = (2A2 cos2 ω2 t) + (2A cos ω2 t)2
 2  2l 2
g k
E2 = m +2 A2 cos2 ω2 t = mω22 A2 .
l m

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 6/7

 Summary
1 When oscillators are coupled, their EoMs are also coupled.
2 Decoupling means find new coordinates in which the system oscillates with the same
frequency: normal modes.
3 Each normal mode carries a definite energy.
4 General motion is a linear superposition of the two normal modes.
5 Total energy in a general motion is the sum of energies carried by each normal mode.

Coupled Oscillations General method for finding normal modes 7/7