Chapter 14 - Simple

Harmonic Motion

A PowerPoint Presentation by
Paul E. Tippens, Professor of
Physics
Southern Polytechnic State
2007
University

Photo by Mark Tippens

A TRAMPOLINE exerts a restoring force on the

jumper that is directly proportional to the average
force required to displace the mat. Such restoring
forces provide the driving forces necessary for
objects that oscillate with simple harmonic motion.

Objectives: After finishing

this unit, you should be
able to:

Write and apply Hookes Law for objects

moving with simple harmonic motion.
Write and apply formulas for
finding the frequency f, period
T, velocity v, or acceleration a
in terms of displacement x or
time t.
Describe the motion of
pendulums and calculate the
length required to produce a
given frequency.

Periodic Motion
Simple periodic motion is that motion in
which a body moves back and forth over a
fixed path, returning to each position and
velocity after a definite interval of time.
1
f
T
Amplitude
A

Period,
Period
Period,
T,isisthe
thetime
time
Period T,
for
forone
onecomplete
complete
oscillation.
oscillation.(seconds,s)
(seconds,s)
Frequency,
Frequency
Frequency,
the
Frequency f,f,isisthe
number
numberof
ofcomplete
complete
oscillations
oscillationsper
per
-1
second.
second.Hertz
Hertz(s(s-1))

Example 1: The suspended mass

makes 30 complete oscillations in 15 s.
What is the period and frequency of the
motion?

15 s
T
0.50 s
30 cylces

1
1
f
T 0.500 s

Period:
Period: TT== 0.500
0.500 ss

Frequency:
Frequency: ff == 2.00
2.00 Hz
Hz

Simple Harmonic Motion,

SHM
Simple harmonic motion is periodic motion in
the absence of friction and produced by a
restoring force that is directly proportional to
the displacement and oppositely directed.

AArestoring
restoring force,
force, F,
F,acts
acts in
in
the
the direction
direction opposite
opposite the
the
displacement
displacement of
of the
the
oscillating
oscillating body.
body.
FF == -kx
-kx

Hookes Law
When a spring is stretched, there is a
restoring force that is proportional to the
displacement.
F = -kx
x
m

The spring constant k is a

property of the spring given
by:
F
k=
x

Work Done in Stretching a

Spring
Work done ON the spring is
positive; work BY spring is
negative.
From Hookes law the force F
is:
F (x) = kx
F

x
F

To stretch spring
from x1 to x2 , work
is:

Work
Work
kx
kx
kx
kx
x1

x2

22
22

22
11

(Review module on work)

Example 2: A 4-kg mass suspended

from a spring produces a displacement
of 20 cm. What is the spring constant?
The stretching force is the
weight (W = mg) of the 4-kg
20 cm
F
mass:

F = (4 kg)(9.8 m/s2) = 39.2 N

Now, from Hookes law, the force
constant k of the spring is:

k=
=
x
0.2 m

kk =
= 196
196
N/m
N/m

Example 2(cont.: The mass m is now

stretched a distance of 8 cm and held.
What is the potential energy? (k = 196
N/m)
The potential energy is
equal to the work done in
stretching the spring:
8 cm

Work kx kx
2
2

2
1

U kx (196 N/m)(0.08 m)
2

U
U=
= 0.627
0.627 JJ

m
2

Displacement in SHM
x

m
x = -A

x=0

x = +A

Displacement is positive when the position is

to the right of the equilibrium position (x = 0)
and negative when located to the left.
The maximum displacement is called the
amplitude A.

Velocity in SHM
v (-)

v (+)

m
x = -A

x=0

x = +A

Velocity is positive when moving to the

right and negative when moving to the
left.
It is zero at the end points and a
maximum at the midpoint in either
direction (+ or -).

Acceleration in SHM
+a

-x

+x

-a

m
x = -A

x=0

x = +A

Acceleration is in the direction of the

restoring force. (a is positive when x
is negative, and negative when x is
positive.)

FF ma
ma kx
kx

Acceleration is a maximum at the end

points and it is zero at the center of
oscillation.

Acceleration vs.
Displacement
a
x

m
x = -A

x=0

x = +A

Given the spring constant, the

displacement, and the mass, the
acceleration can be found from:

FF ma
ma kx
kx or

kx
kx
aa
m
m

Note: Acceleration is always opposite to displaceme

Example 3: A 2-kg mass hangs at the

end of a spring whose constant is k =
400 N/m. The mass is displaced a
distance of 12 cm and released. What
is the acceleration at the instant the
displacement
isx(400
= +7
cm? m)
N/m)(+0.07
kx
kx
a
aa
2 kg
m
m
22
aa == -14.0
m/s
-14.0 m/s

+x

Note: When the displacement is +7 cm

(downward), the acceleration is -14.0
m/s2 (upward) independent of motion
direction.

Example 4: What is the maximum

acceleration for the 2-kg mass in the
previous problem? (A = 12 cm, k = 400
The
N/m)maximum acceleration
occurs when the restoring force
is a maximum; i.e., when the
stretch or compression of the
spring is largest.
xmax = A
F = ma = -kx
+x
kA 400 N( 0.12 m)
a

m
2 kg

Maximum
Acceleration:

22
aamax
=

24.0
m/s
max = 24.0 m/s

Conservation of Energy

The total mechanical energy (U + K) of

a vibrating system is constant; i.e., it is
the same at any point in the oscillating
path.
a
v

m
x = -A

x=0

x = +A

For any two points A and B, we may

write:
22
22
22
22
mv
+
kx
=
mv
+
kx
mvAA + kxAA = mvBB + kxBB

Energy of a Vibrating
System:a
A

m
x = -A

x=0

x = +A

At points A and B, the velocity is zero and the

acceleration is a maximum. The total energy is:
U + K = kA2 x = A and v = 0.
At any other point: U + K = mv2 + kx2

Velocity as Function of
Position.a
v
x

m
x = -A
1
2

x=0

mv kx kA
2

1
2

1
2

vmax when
x = 0:

x = +A

k
v
A2 x 2
m

k
A
m

Example 5: A 2-kg mass hangs at the

end of a spring whose constant is k = 800
N/m. The mass is displaced a distance of
10 cm and released. What is the velocity
at the instant
the displacement
is x = +6
2
2
2
mv + kx = kA
cm?
v

k
A2 x 2
m

800 N/m
v
(0.1 m) 2 (0.06 m) 2
2 kg

vv ==1.60
1.60 m/s
m/s

+x

Example 5 (Cont.): What is the

maximum velocity for the previous
problem? (A = 10 cm, k = 800 N/m, m =
The
is maximum when x =
2 kgvelocity
.)
0:
0
mv2 + kx 2 = kA2
v

k
800 N/m
A
(0.1 m)
m
2 kg

vv == 2.00
2.00 m/s
m/s

+x

The Reference Circle

The reference circle compares
the circular motion of an object
with its horizontal projection.

x A cos t
xx AAcos(2
cos(2 ftft))
x = Horizontal
displacement.
A = Amplitude
(xmax).
= Reference angle.

2f

Velocity in SHM
The velocity (v) of an
oscillating body at any
instant is the
horizontal component
of its tangential
velocity (vT).

vT = R = A; 2f
v = -vT sin ; = t
v = - A sin t
vv == -2f
-2fAAsin
sin 2f
2ftt

Acceleration Reference
Circle
The acceleration (a) of an
oscillating body at any
instant is the horizontal
component of its centripetal
acceleration (ac).

a = -ac cos = -ac cos(t)

R=A

v2 2 R2
ac
; ac 2 R
R
R
a = -cos(t)

a 4 2 f 2 A cos(2 ft )

a 4 f x
2

The Period and Frequency as a

Function of a and x.

For any body undergoing simple harmonic

motion:
Since a = -4f2x and T = 1/f
11 aa
ff
22 xx

xx
TT 22
aa

The
The frequency
frequency and
and the
the period
period can
can be
be found
found
ifif the
the displacement
displacement and
and acceleration
acceleration are
are
known.
known. Note
Note that
that the
the signs
signs of
of aa and
and xx will
will
always
always be
be opposite.
opposite.

Period and Frequency as a

Function of Mass and Spring
Constant.
For a vibrating body with an elastic restoring
force:

Recall that F = ma = -kx:

-kx
11 kk
ff
22 mm

m
TT 22 m
kk

The
The frequency
frequency ff and
and the
the period
period TT can
can be
be
found
found ifif the
the spring
spring constant
constant kk and
and mass
mass m
m
of
of the
the vibrating
vibrating body
body are
are known.
known. Use
Use
consistent
consistent SI
SI units.
units.

Example 6: The frictionless system

shown below has a 2-kg mass attached
to a spring (k = 400 N/m). The mass is
displaced a distance of 20 cm to the
right and released.
a
x of the vmotion?
What is the frequency

m
x = -0.2 m

1
f
2

x=0

k
1

m 2

x = +0.2 m

400 N/m
2 kg

ff == 2.25
2.25 Hz
Hz

Example 6 (Cont.): Suppose the 2-kg

mass of the previous problem is
displaced 20 cm and released (k = 400
N/m). What is the maximum
a
acceleration? (f = 2.25
x Hz) v

m
x=0

x = -0.2 m

x = +0.2 m

Acceleration is a maximum when x = A

a 4 f x 4 (2.25 Hz) (0.2 m)

2

2
aa =
= 40
40 m/s
m/s2

Example 6: The 2-kg mass of the

previous example is displaced initially
at x = 20 cm and released. What is the
velocity 2.69 s after release? (Recall
a v
x
that f = 2.25 Hz.)
m

vv == -2f
-2fAAsin
sin 2f
2ftt
x = -0.2 m x = 0

x = +0.2 m

v 2 (2.25 Hz)(0.2 m) sin 2 (2.25 Hz)(2.69 s)

(Note: in rads)

v 2 (2.25 Hz)(0.2 m)(0.324)

vv == -0.916
-0.916 m/s
m/s

The minus sign means

it is moving to the left.

Example 7: At what time will the 2-kg

mass be located 12 cm to the left of x
-0.12 m
= 0?
a v
(A = 20 cm, f = 2.25 Hz)
x
x A cos(2 ft )

x = -0.2 m x = 0

x 0.12 m
cos(2 ft )
;
A 0.20 m
2 ft 2.214 rad;

x = +0.2 m

(2 ft ) cos 1 ( 0.60)
2.214 rad
t
2 (2.25 Hz)

tt == 0.157
0.157 ss

The Simple Pendulum

The period of a simple
pendulum is given by:

L
T 2
g

For small angles

1
f
2

g
L

mg

Example 8. What must be the length of

a simple pendulum for a clock which has a
period of two seconds (tick-tock)?

L
T 2
g
2
2 L
T 4
;
g

(2 s) 2 (9.8 m/s 2 )
L
2
4

T 2g
L=
2
4
L = 0.993 m

The Torsion Pendulum

The period T of a
torsion pendulum is
given by:

I
T 2
k'
Where
Where k
k is
is aa torsion
torsion constant
constant that
that
depends
depends on
on the
the material
material from
from which
which the
the
rod
rod is
is made;
made; II is
is the
the rotational
rotational inertia
inertia of
of
the
the vibrating
vibrating system.
system.

Example 9: A 160 g solid disk is

attached to the end of a wire, then
twisted at 0.8 rad and released. The
torsion constant k is 0.025 N m/rad.
Find the
(Neglect
theperiod.
torsion in the wire)
For Disk:
Disk

I = mR2

I = (0.16 kg)(0.12 m)2

= 0.00115 kg m2
I
0.00115 kg m 2
T 2
2
k'
0.025 N m/rad

TT== 1.35
1.35 ss

Note: Period is independent of angular displacement.

Summary
Simple
Simple harmonic
harmonic motion
motion (SHM)
(SHM) is
is that
that
motion
motion in
in which
which aa body
body moves
moves back
back and
and
forth
forth over
over aa fixed
fixed path,
path, returning
returning to
to each
each
position
position and
and velocity
velocity after
after aa definite
definite
interval
interval of
of time.
time.
The
The frequency
frequency (rev/s)
(rev/s) isis the
the
reciprocal
reciprocal of
of the
the period
period (time
(time
x
for
for one
one revolution).
revolution).

1
f
T

Summary (Cont.)
Hookes
Hookes Law:
Law: In
In aa spring,
spring, there
there is
is aa
restoring
restoring force
force that
that is
is proportional
proportional to
to
the
the displacement.
displacement.

FF kx
kx
x
m

The spring constant k is defined

by:

FF
kk
xx

Summary (SHM)
x

m
x = -A

x=0

FF ma
ma kx
kx

x = +A

kx
aa kx
m
m

Conservation of Energy:
22
22
22
22
mv
+
kx
=
mv
+
kx
mvAA + kxAA = mvBB + kxBB

Summary (SHM)
11
22

mv
mv kx
kx kA
kA
22

11
22

kk
vv
AA22 xx22
m
m

xx AAcos(2
cos(2 ftft))

22

11
22

22

kk
vv00
AA
m
m

aa 44 ff xx
22

vv 22 fA
fAsin(2
sin(2 ftft))

22

Summary: Period and

Frequency for Vibrating
a
Spring.
v
x
m
x = -A

x=0

x = +A

11 aa
ff
22 xx

xx
TT 22
aa

11 kk
ff
22 mm

m
TT 22 m
kk

Summary: Simple
Pendulum and Torsion
Pendulum
1
f
2

g
L

I
T 2
k'

L
T 2
g

CONCLUSION: Chapter 14
Simple Harmonic Motion