Sound

Lecture No. 3
Topic: Lissajous Figures
Teacher’s name: Md. Abdur Rahman

1
Superposed vibrations in One Dimension
Many physical situations involve the simultaneous application of
two or more harmonic vibrations to the same system. Example of
this are specially common in acoustics. A phonograph stylus, a
microphone diaphragms or a human eardrum is general being
subjected to a complicated combination of such vibrations,
resulting in some over all patterns of its displacements as a
function of time.
Composition of two simple harmonic vibration in a straight line:
Let the two SHM be presented by the equations:
y1  a1 sin(t 1 ) (1)
y2  a2 sin(t   2 ) (2)

Where y1 and y2 are the displacements of a particle due to the two

vibrations, a1 and a2 are the amplitudes and 1 and 2 are the epoch
angles. Here, the two vibrations are assumed to be same frequency.1
The resultant displacement y of the particle is given by

y  y1  y 2
 (a1 cos1  a2 cos2 ) sin t  (a1 sin 1  a2 sin 2 ) cost
Since the amplitudes a1 and a2 and the angles 1 and 2 are
constants, the coefficient of sint and cost in equation (3) can be
substituted by Acos and Asin.
Acos  a1 cos1  a2 cos2    (4)
Asin  a1 sin1  a2 sin2    (5)
A2  a2  a2  2a a cos(  )    (6)
1 2 1 2 1 2

a1 sin1  a2 sin2
tan         (7)
a1 cos1  a2 cos2
The resultant displacement y of the particle is given by

y  Acos  sint  Asin  cost  Asin(t   )    (8)

3
Equation (8) is similar to the original equations (1) and (2). The
amplitude of the resultant vibrations is A and epoch angle . Thus,
the resultant of two SHM of the same period and acting in the same
line is also a SHM with a resultant vibration A and epoch angle .

Special case: If 1 = 2 =, A = a1 + a2,  = 

y  (a1  a2 )sin(t   )

4
 Lissajous Figures:
When a particle is influenced simultaneously by two SHM at right
angles to each other, the resultant motion of the particle traces a
curve. These curves are called Lissajous figures. The shape of the
curve depends on the time period, phase difference and the
amplitude of the two constituent vibrations. Lissajous figures are
helpful in determining the ratio of the time periods of two vibrations
and to compare the frequencies of two tuning fork.

Lissajous figure formed by

two sinusoidal SHM. SHM
acted right angles to each
other and their phase
difference is zero degree.
Here, a circle is formed.

5
Some typical Lissajous Figures

6
Lissajous Figure Produced in Oscilloscope
Two phase-shifted sinusoidal inputs
are applied to the oscilloscope in X-
Y mode and the phase relationship
between the signals is presented as
a Lissajous figure.

7
 Uses of Lissajous figure

These figures allow one to compare amplitudes, frequencies and

phase between two oscillatory signals for one.

For example, if you had two sinusoidal signals of equal amplitude

and frequency, you could determine the phase difference by looking
at the shape of the trace. If the waves are in phase, you would see a
straight line, if the waves are pi/2 out of phase, you would see a
circle instead.

In undergrad physics laboratory in BUET, it is used to find out the

line frequency of the supply voltage with the help of signal generator
that can produce several frequencies.

8
Composition of two SHM at right angle to each
other and having time period in the ratio 1:1
Let us consider two SHM acting at right angle to each other
and have the same period as the following equations:

x  a sin(t   )      (1)
y  b sint         (2)

It is clear that the amplitudes of the two SHM are different.

The initial phase difference between them is . From equ(2),
we can write: 2
y y
sin t  ,cost= 1 2
b b
From equ(1), we can write:
x
 sin t cos  cost sin 
a 1
 x y y2
  cos  1 2 sin 
a b b

x y y2
  cos  1 2 sin 
a b b
y2 
 
2 2
 2  y2 cos2   2xy cos  1 2  sin 2 
x
a b ab  b 
2 2
x y 2xy
   cos   sin 2
      (3)
2 2
a b ab
This represents the general equation of two SHM acting at
right angle to each other. The resultant vibration of the
particle will depend upon the value of .

2
 Special case:
b
(1)  = 0 or 2, eq(4) becomes y x
a
It is a straight line with positive slope.
b
(2)  =  y   x
a
It is a straight line with negative slope.
x2 y 2
(3)  = /2 + 2 1
2
a b
Equation for ellipse of axes a and b.

(4)  = /2, a =b x2 +y2  a2

Equation for circle of radius a.

(5)  = /4
x2 y2 2xy 1
2
+ 2  
a b ab 2 2
Oblique ellipse of axes a and b. 3
Composition of two SHM at right angle to
each other and having frequency ratio 2:1

Let us consider two SHM acting at right angle to each other

and have the same period as the following equations:

x  a sin(2t   )      (1)
y  b sint         (2)
It is clear that the amplitudes of the two SHM are different.
The initial phase difference between them is . From equ(2),
we can write:
y y2
sin t  ,cost= 1 2
b b
From equ(1), we can write:
x
 sin 2t cos  cos 2t sin 
a 4
 x
  2sin t cost cos  (1 2sin 2 t) sin
a
x 2y y2 2 y2
  1 2 cos  (1 2 ) sin 
a b b b
2
x 2 y 2
2 y y
  (1 2 ) sin   1 2 cos
a b b b
2
x 2 y2 2 y y
 [(  sin  )  2 sin  ]2  [ 1 2 cos ]2
a b b b
2
x x 2 y 2
4y 4
4 y 2 y
 ( sin  ) 2  2( sin  ) 2 sin  4 sin 2   2 (1 2 ) cos 2 
a a b b b b
x 4 y4 4 y2 4y 2 x
 ( sin  )  4 (sin   cos  )  2 (sin   cos  )  2 sin   0
2 2 2 2 2

a b b b a
x 4 y4 4 y2 4 y2 x
 (  sin )  4  2  2 sin   0
2

a b b b a 5
 2
x 4 y 2 y x
 ( sin  )  2 ( 2  sin  1)  0    (3)
2

a b b a

This represents the general equation of two SHM acting at

right angle to each other having frequency ration 2:1

The following Lissajous figures contained two loops at

different phase difference.

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Lissajous Figure of frequency ratio 1:2

6
Special case:
(1)  = 0,  , 2, ….etc, eq(3) becomes
2
x2 4 y2 y2
 2  2 ( 2 1)  0    (4)
a b b
Equation of a two loops.
(2)  = /2, eq(3) becomes
2 y2
x 4 y x
 ( 1)  2 ( 2  1)  0
2
a b b a
2
x 4 y x 4 y 4
 ( 1) 2  2 ( 1)  4  0
a b a b
x 2 y2 2 x 2 y2
 [( 1)  2 ]  0  ( 1)  2  0
2 2

a 2
b a b
b
 y   2 (x  a)    (5)
2

2a
This represents the equation of a parabola with vertex at (a, 0).
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A particle performs SHM given by the equation, y  20sin(t   )
If the time period is 30 s and the particle has a displacement of 10 cm
at t =0, find (i) epoch; (ii) the phase angle at t= 5 s, and (iii) the phase
difference between two positions of the particle 15 s apart.

Solution: y  20sin(t   ) 2 2 
   rad
T 30 15
 
10  20sin(  0   )    rad
(i)At,t  0, y 10 cm
15 6
 
(ii)At,t  5 s, The phase angle  (t   )  ( 5  ) 

15 6 2

(iii)At,t  0 s, The phase angle1 
6
 
At,t  15 s, The phase angle 2  ( 15  ) 
7
15 6 6
7 
The phase difference = 2 1     rad
6 6
Two SHMs acting simultaneously on a particle are given by the
equations:

y1  2sin(t  )
6

y2  3sin(t  )
3
Calculate (i) amplitude (ii) phase constant (iii) time period of the
resultant vibration.

Solution: A2
 a 2
 a 2
 2a a cos(   )
1 2 1 2 1 2

 A  4.83
a1 sin 1  a2 sin 2    48.10  48.1   4 rad
tan  
a1 cos1  a2 cos2 180 15
4
Phase constant=(t+ )rad
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(iii) The resultant time period is the same as the individual time
period. 5
 A pendulum of mass m raised to a height h and released. After
hitting a spring of non-linear force law, F  kx  bx3 calculate the
compression distance x of the spring.

Solution: By conservation of energy,

1 2
mgh  mv  v  2gh
2
is the pendulum bob velocity
just before it hits the spring.

The conservative force is,F  kx  bx3

1 1

So that the potential energy, U   Fdx  kx 2  bx 4
1 2 2 1 42 1 2
Again by conservation of energy, mv  mgh  kx  bx
2 2 4 1
Rearranging,
k 2 4mgh k 2  4mgh k 2  2
(x  ) 
2
 2  x  2 k
b b b  b b b 6
 
 A block of mass m moving at speed v collides with a spring of
restoring force F  k x  k x 3 on a frictionless surface. Find the
1 2
maximum compression of the spring.

Solution:
The given spring force is nonlinear
but conservative, F  k 1x  k 2 x3
Using the work-energy theorem:
1 2 1 1 2
W  K   F  dx  k1x  k 2 x  mv
4

2 4 2
v  (x 2  2 k1 )2  2m v 2   k1 
2
k 2m 2
 x4  2 1 x2 
k2 k2 k2 k2  k2 
1

2m 2  k1   2mv2k 2 
2 2
k1 k1
x  
2
v    x   1 2
1
k2 k2  k2  k2  k1  7