Physics

Experiment 10
Okorie Esonu

SIMPLE HARMONIC MOTION

Abstract
In this lab we studied examples of simple harmonic motion. Focusing on the spring
system

Introduction
Simple harmonic motion is the motion of a simple harmonic oscillator, a motion that is
neither driven nor damped. The motion is periodic, as it repeats itself at standard intervals
in a specific manner with constant amplitude. It is characterized by its amplitude (which
is always positive), its period which is the time for a single oscillation, its frequency
which is the number of cycles per unit time, and its phase, which determines the starting
point on the sine wave.
We notice in our everyday lives that a number of objects oscillate about their equilibrium
positions. A swing goes back and forth, a chandelier oscillates about a mean position, a
weed swings back and forth, and a plucked string oscillates about its equilibrium
position, and so on. The atoms and molecules in solids vibrate about their mean positions
as well. Oscillating electric and magnetic fields result in electromagnetic radiation. All
these relate to simple harmonic motion oscillation.
In the lab that we did, we made a simple harmonic oscillator by attaching a mass to the
end of a spring and then set it into motion. What happened? The mass executes repetitive
motion, moving back and forth between two points.
To describe this: Looking at the system before we set it into motion, we see the mass at
rest at a position known as its equilibrium position. If we tap on the mass while it is in its
equilibrium position, the oscillations begin. In words, the mass first moves away from
equilibrium in one direction (we'll call that the positive direction), reaches a maximum
displacement from equilibrium where it changes its direction of motion (instantaneously
coming to rest), speeds up as it moves back towards the equilibrium position (going in the
opposite direction compared to when we tapped it), slows down as it passes the
equilibrium position until it reaches its maximum negative displacement (the same

distance from the origin as the maximum positive displacement) and then heads back to
the origin. What Ive described is one cycle of its oscillation. The oscillation cycles
repeat.
Let me define a few terms related to oscillatory motion. The distance x (t) of the object
from its equilibrium position is the displacement. The maximum displacement is called
the amplitude. One oscillation cycle as Ive explained earlier corresponds to a complete
to and fro motion of the object from some initial position returning to the same position
moving in the same direction. The time it takes to complete one oscillation is called the
time period (t). The number of oscillations in a unit time (1 second) is known as the
frequency (f). The frequency is measured in oscillations per second or simply hertz (hz).
If the object (or the field) is oscillating at regular intervals of time then it is called
periodic motion, which is also known as harmonic motion. If the periodic motion is
sinusoidal, it is called simple harmonic motion (shm). In the following, we present details
of the simple harmonic motion.
The time period
T=1/f
Where f is the frequency
The displacement of a particle x (t) ( x as a function of time) executing simple harmonic
motion may be expressed as a sine or a cosine function of time t,
x(t) = A sin (t + )
where x (t) is the displacement, which is a function of time, A is the amplitude, is the
angular frequency, t is the time, and is the phase constant. The angular frequency
= 2f
has the units of rad/s. it turns out that most of the natural systems execute harmonic
motion when they are perturbed from their equilibrium position.
The velocity
V(t) = dx / dt = A cos (t + )
And acceleration
A(t) = -A sin ( t + )
= - x (t)

This is a basic equation characteristic of the simple harmonic motion. The instantaneous
acceleration a (t) is equal to the instantaneous displacement x (t) times the square of the
angular frequency () and is oppositely directed.
Consider a mass m on a frictionless horizontal surface connected to a spring. If we
stretched the spring by a small distance (x) from its unstretched position and release, it
will execute oscillatory motion. If we further assume that the spring is mass less and ideal
(internal frictional forces of the spring are negligible), the spring exerts a force on the
mass
F(x) = -kx (Hookes law)
Where x is the displacement of the mass from its equilibrium position, and k is the force
constant of the spring. The value of k depends on the stiffness of the spring. The negative
sign indicates that the force exerted by the spring is opposite in direction to the
displacement of the mass. When the mass is pulled, the work done in stretching the spring
is stored as potential energy of the spring. As the mass is released, the spring force pulls
the mass towards the unstretched position. When the mass reaches the unstretched
position, all the potential energy of the spring is converted into the kinetic energy of the
mass. The kinetic energy of the mass is converted into the potential energy of the spring
as the spring is compressed again.

Procedures
We opened the motion detector software. For this part of the experiment, we did not set
the mass m oscillating and we measured the elongation of the spring as a function of the
applied (f). if the mass of the hanger plus the weights is m(kg), the force will be mg (N).
first we put some weights say m(0) so that the spring will be straight and has no kinks.
We measured the positioned (x) of the weight hanger using the motion detector. Since the
mass is stationary, we expected to get approximately horizontal line on the displacement
versus time plot. We added weights to the hanger and for each additional weight we
measured the new position of the weight hanger using the motion detector.
In Part I of the experiment, two springs was used. One is a thick (larger in diameter) short
spring (spring # 2), and a thin (smaller in diameter) long spring (spring #2). The shorter
spring is stiffer than the longer spring. The following procedures were done for both
springs. A short spring was attached to a hanger, and hung vertically. The distance from
the table to the bottom part of the spring, just above the hook is measured. This is the
initial poison. 50 grams of weight is attached to the hook, and the spring elongates. The
distance form the table to the spring is measured, which is a shorter distance. This is done
with more weight added, for 3 more trials. This was also done for the long spring (spring
# 2). In both cases, the force due to the addition of weights was calculated. F=mg. The
spring constant was calculated in each case, using Hookes Law.

In part 2 we suspended a mass m (0) to the spring such that there are no kinks in the
spring. We held the mass m (0), raised it upward vertically by a couple of cm, and release
it. It had an oscillatory motion. By keeping the motion detector as shown, we collected
data for certain duration of time. A motion detector was placed directly under spring # 2;
the motion detector program was set up. 50 grams of weight was added, and the spring
began to oscillate. The program captured the spring oscillating on three graphs, distance
vs. time, velocity vs. time, and acceleration vs. time. For each graph, the equation was
obtained

Discussion
Part 1
In part 1 of the experiment, we attached weights to a vertically suspended spring and
measured the elongation of the spring as a function of the force applied. From these data
we calculated the force constant of the spring.
We suspended the spring vertically and attached a mass m at its end. We held the mass by
hand and released it gradually at its equilibrium position. We let the elongation of the
spring from its mean position be x. since the mass m is in equilibrium, the net force
acting on the mass was equal to zero. The gravitational force acting on the mass (=mg)
was equal in magnitude and opposite to the restoring force (f) of the spring.
If the applied force is within the elastic limit of the spring, the restoring force of the
spring f is proportional to the elongation (x) of the spring and is oppositely directed with
respect to x. this is known as hookes law.
F = - kx (hookes law)
Where f is the restoring force of the spring and x is the displacement of the spring from
its equilibrium (unstretched) position. The proportionality constant k is called the spring
constant. If f is in Newton and x in meters, the spring constant k will be in Newton per
meter (N/m)
The equilibrium condition may be written as
+ Fspring mg = 0
Part 2
In part 2, we set the mass to oscillating mass. The oscillation of a mass attached to a
vertically suspended spring is an example of the simple harmonic motion as stated earlier.

Employing such a setup we measured and studied a number of physical parameters

related to the simple harmonic motion.
Considering a mass m attached to a spring suspended vertically. Since the weight of the
mass was within the elastic limit of the spring, the spring was stretched and the mass
reached an equilibrium condition. The forces acting on the mass were the gravitational
force acting vertically downwards and the restoring force due to the spring acting in the
opposite direction. We let the equilibrium position be A, then we lifted the mass to the
position b with our hand and gently released it, the mass executed oscillations. At b, the
kinetic energy was at maximum. At a, the kinetic energy of the mass was maximum
whereas potential energy of the spring was equal to zero. At c, the kinetic energy of the
mass was zero, the potential energy of the spring was at maximum and the gravitational
potential energy was negative with respect to the mean position. At intermediate
positions, part of the energy was in the form of kinetic energy and part of the energy was
in the form of potential energy of the spring and the gravitational potential energy.
The mass m was acted on by two forces: 1 the force due to gravity (=mg) and the
restoring force due to the spring. In this experiment, we lifted the mass vertically by a
couple of cm and left it so that it executes oscillatory motion. As the mass oscillates, the
gravitational potential energy of the mass as well as the potential energy of the spring
changed as a function of time. However, it can be shown that if we measured the
displacement from the equilibrium position of the mass after it was suspended from the
spring, the motion was still SHM.

Conclusion
The data shows that the spring elongated as more weight was added, because the force
acting on the spring increased. The spring constant is supposed to be the same, but the
data shows the constant changing for spring # 1 by one (from 4.77 to 3.77) for the first
and last trials. The spring constants for spring # 2 were closer. The last three values were
20.9, 20.7, and 20.7 which are all about the same. The results for spring # 1 were
probably caused by experimental errors. There can be several errors that can skew the
results of this experiment. These sources of error can come from the spring being more
elastic is some areas, or from human error. Human error would result from misreading the
distance from the table to the spring before and after the weight was added. Calculation
errors can also affect the result of this experiment

Results
Run #

m0

Table 1: Force Constant of Spring # 1

Additional
Force due to
Initial
Weights (m) additional weights Position of the

Final Position
of the mass

1
2
3
4
5

0 kg
0 kg
0 kg
0 kg
0 kg

0 kg
.050 kg
.100 kg
.150 kg
.200 kg

(F)
0N
.491 N
.981 N
1.472 N
1.962 N

mass (x0)
.968 m
.968 m
.968 m
.968 m
.968 m

(xn)
.968 m
.865 m
.725 m
.587 m
.448 m

Initial
Position of the
mass (x0)
.830 m
.830 m
.830 m
.830 m
.830 m

Final Position
of the mass
(xn)
.830 m
.808 m
.783 m
.759 m
.735 m

Table 1: Force Constant of Spring # 1 (continued)

Run #
x = (xn x0)
k=F/x
1
0
N/A
2
.103 m
4.77
3
.243 m
4.04
4
.381 m
3.86
5
.520 m
3.77
Table 2: Force Constant of spring # 2
Run #

m0

Additional
Weights (m)

1
2
3
4
5

0 kg
0 kg
0 kg
0 kg
0 kg

0 kg
.050 kg
.100 kg
.150 kg
.200 kg

Force due to
additional weights
(F)
0N
.491 N
.981 N
1.472 N
1.962 N

Table 2: Force Constant of Spring # 2 (continued)

Run #
x = (xn x0)
k=F/x
1
0
N/A
2
.022 m
22.3
3
.047 m
20.9
4
.071 m
20.7
5
.095 m
20.7

Questions
1: Considering the mass undergoing simple harmonic motion in the figure. The velocity
of the particle can be calculated by differentiating the displacement. So that when the
displacement is at a maximum the velocity is at a minimum and when the displacement is
zero (minimum) the velocity has its greatest value (maximum).

Differentiating the velocity with respect to time we obtain the acceleration. The
maximum acceleration occurs at the extreme displacement (maximum).
2: Yes I expect them to have different phases. When the mass is at its highest point, the
velocity is zero as it changes direction and begins to fall back down. When it reaches its
lowest position, it again slows and changes direction in the oscillatory cycle. Therefore,
the velocity curve should be out of phase with the position curve. When the position vs.
time curve is at a maximum or minimum, the velocity curve will be crossing zero, when
the velocity is at its maximum, the position will be crossing zero, or we can say that they
are out of phase.
When the displacement is at its maximum, the restoring force and therefore the
acceleration will be maximum in the opposite direction. Therefore, it is out of phase with
the velocity and the position curve.
3: the functional relationship between the frequency f of the spring mass system and the
mass m is that the frequency the mass on the spring is determined by the mass m and the
stiffness of the spring expressed in terms of a spring constant k. Also a mass on a spring
has a single resonant frequency determined by its spring constant k and the mass m.
4: Ideally, if it is assumed that the spring has no mass, it will also be assumed that the
restoring force of the spring is only used to move the attached mass, but in fact, part of
the restoring force is used to move the spring back to its equilibrium position. As a result,
the mass of the spring cannot be neglected
5: frictional forces act to retard the motion. If the frictional force exceeded the restoring
force, the "oscillator" would never oscillate; when displaced by a small distance the
frictional force would exceed the restoring force, and energy would stay stored in the
stretched spring.

Works cited
www.physicsforums.com
www.utk.edu
www.gmu.edu
ww.splung.com
www.indiana.edu
Physics laboratory manual, Gottipaty Rao