I have forgotten
my Password

Or login with:

  • Facebookhttp://facebook.com/
  • Googlehttps://www.google.com/accounts/o8/id
  • Yahoohttps://me.yahoo.com

Simple Harmonic Motion

An analysis of Simple Harmonic Motion.
+ View other versions (3)

Simple Harmonic Motion.

If a particle moves in a straight line in such a way that its acceleration is always directed towards a fixed point on the line and is proportional to the distance from the point, the particle is said to be moving in Simple Harmonic Motion.

MISSING IMAGE!

23287/Simple-Harmonic-Motion-100.png cannot be found in /users/23287/Simple-Harmonic-Motion-100.png. Please contact the submission author.

Let O be a fixed point on the line X'X and x the distance of the particle from O at any time t. Also, let the acceleration of the particle along OX as \inline - n^2\,x\;\;\;where\;\;\;n^2 is a positive constant. No matter whether x is positive or negative the acceleration will be directed towards O.

If v is the velocity at time t, the acceleration will be in the direction OX and will be given by the differential relationship :-

This can be expressed as:

or,

In the initial stage of the motion v is negative as the particle is moving towards O

and,

When t = 0 x = a and \inline  cos^{-1} = 0 and hence K = 0

and,

When \inline nt=\n\frac{\pi}{2} cos nt = 0, and thus a particle starting from A moving towards O arrives in a time\inline \frac{\pi}{2n} with a velocity of \inline -an. It will continue along the straight line and its velocity will be zero when \inline nt = \pi and \inline x = - a. It will then return to O arriving when \inline nt = \frac{3}{2}\pi with a velocity \inline an and reach A in a time \inline  \frac{2\pi}{n} with zero velocity. The motion is then repeated indefinitely unless destroyed by some force.

Note:
  • The time \inline \frac{2\;\pi}{n} is called the Period of the oscillation and is the time for one complete cycle.
  • If the frequency is f and the period \inline \frac {2\;\pi}{n}, then \inline f = \frac{n}{2\pi}.

Also,
  • If the period of the motion is known, the motion is completely determined.
  • The Period maybe written down at once if the magnitude of the acceleration for some value of x is known.
  • The amplitude is determined by the initial displacement.

Other Initial Conditions

If the the motion is started by giving the particle a velocity \inline  v_0 when its distance from O is \inline x_0, the type of motion is unchanged and the time is measured from this instant, instead of the instant when x = a. In this case the value of x at any instant is given by :-

where \inline \epsilon is a constant]

Now,

Also \inline \dot{x} = v_0 when \inline t = 0

Then, And,

MISSING IMAGE!

23287/Simple-Harmonic-Motion-103.png cannot be found in /users/23287/Simple-Harmonic-Motion-103.png. Please contact the submission author.

The Constant \inline \epsilon is called the Epoch of the motion. The Phase of the motion at time t is the time which has elapsed since the particle was at the positive end of its path. Thus the phase is \inline t + \frac{\epsilon }{n} less a multiple of the period.

Also,

In particular if \inline x_0 = 0, i.e. the particle starts from O and the amplitude is \inline \frac{v_0}{n}

Since the acceleration at any instant is

This is characteristic of Simple Harmonic Motion and its solution is given by:-

may be written down if the amplitude and the epoch are known.

The Relation To Uniform Motion In A Circle.

If a particle is describing a circle of radius \inline a with uniform angular velocity \inline \omega, its orthogonal projection on a diameter of the circle moves on the diameter in simple harmonic motion of amplitude \inline a and period \inline \frac{2\;\pi}{\omega }.

MISSING IMAGE!

23287/Simple-Harmonic-Motion-101.png cannot be found in /users/23287/Simple-Harmonic-Motion-101.png. Please contact the submission author.

Let \inline \epsilon be the angle which the radius initially makes with the diameter X'OX . Then after a time t the angle made by the radius to the particle is \inline \omega \;t + \epsilon. Hence, if P is the position of the particle at time t and N the foot of the perpendicular from P on OX, then:-

and the point moves with Simple Harmonic Motion of amplitude \inline a and period \inline \frac{2\;\pi}{\omega }

Example:
[imperial]
Example - Simple Harmonic Motion
Problem
A particle moves with Simple Harmonic Motion in a straight line. Find the time of a complete oscillation if the acceleration is 4 ft/sec2, when the distance from the centre of the oscillation is 2 ft. If the Velocity with which the particle passes through the centre of oscillations is 8 ft./sec. find the amplitude.
Workings
If the acceleration is at a distance x from the centre then:

Hence the period is:

If the phase is zero when

where a is the amplitude. Then

And the value of v at the centre of oscillation is
and
Solution
The period is

and amplitude