Simple Harmonic Motion
Chapter 13
Please download the PHeT activity: Masses and Springs
https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/masses-and-springs-basics
Chapter 13 - Learning Objectives
When you have mastered this chapter you will be able to:
• Interpret oscillations as periodic motion of an object.
• Describe SHM mathematically.
• Interpret displacement, velocity and acceleration vs. time graphs for SHM.
• Explain what a restoring force is and why systems oscillate.
• Apply conservation of energy to calculate potential and kinetic energy of a
simple harmonic motion.
• Describe the relationship between spring constant k (or elastic properties of a
material) and natural frequency of an oscillator.
• Calculate frequency and time period for simple systems that execute a simple
harmonic motion.
• Compare ideal simple harmonic motion to damped oscillator and to driven
(forced) oscillations.
• Qualitatively explain resonance.
Periodic Motion
A motion that repeats after a finite amount of time
• A swinging pendulum
• An mass attached to spring and oscillating
• Electric current oscillating in an antennae
• Motion of planets around the Sun
• Motion of Sun around the centre of our Galaxy
• An electron around an nucleus
When is a motion periodic?
x(t + T ) =
x(t ) - +
x=0
v(t + T ) =
v(t )
One complete back and forth motion is called an
oscillation
Time Period (T):
Time taken to complete one oscillation
units: seconds (s)
Frequency
Frequency ( f ): Number of oscillations
completed per second by an oscillating object.
f = 1/ T
units: s-1 called Hertz (Hz)
1 Hz = one oscillation per second
Time period for Earth’s motion around the Sun
= 365.25 days = 31557600 s
f = 3.1688 × 10-8 Hz
Cosine and Sine functions
Cosine and Sine functions are periodic with a period of 2π radians
cos( 𝜃𝜃 ± 2𝜋𝜋) = cos(𝜃𝜃)
sin( 𝜃𝜃 ± 2𝜋𝜋) = sin(𝜃𝜃)
Cosine functions
cos(θ )
cos(2θ )
θ
cos
2
Cosine Function – phase shift
π
cos(θ ) cos(θ + )
4
π
cos(θ − )
4
𝜋𝜋
sin 𝜃𝜃 + = cos 𝜃𝜃
2
𝜋𝜋
cos 𝜃𝜃 − = sin 𝜃𝜃
2
Cosine and Sine functions are multivalued
cos(θ )=cos(-θ )
sin(θ )=sin(π -θ )
II I II I
III IV III IV
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=p9uhmjbZn-c
Simple Harmonic Motion
x(t ) A cos(ω t + φ )
=
A : Amplitude
Maximum displacement from the equilibrium position.
ω : Angular frequency
Related to the time period of oscillations.
φ : The phase constant
Determined by the initial position and velocity of the
simple harmonic oscillator
Spray paint oscillator
What is ω?
x(t + T ) =
x(t )
2π
ω = 2π f
=
T
ω is called angular frequency
units: radians/s
2π
=x(t ) A cos t +φ
T
Time period from the position vs. time plot
A
CQ-1
What is the amplitude of the shown harmonic motion ?
A) 4 m
B) -4 m
C) 8 m
D) -2 m
E) 2 m
CQ-2
What is the amplitude of the oscillations of the shown graph?
A) 4 m
B) 3 m
C) 2 m
D) 1 m
CQ-3
What is the time period of the oscillations shown in the graph?
A) 1.5 s
B) 3 s
C) 4 s
D) 1 s
CQ-4
Rank the following displacement versus time graphs in the order
of (highest to lowest) period.
b
a
A) Ta > Tb > Tc
B) Ta > Tc > Tb
c
C) Tb > Tc > Ta
CQ-5
Rank the following displacement versus time graphs in the order
of (highest to lowest) frequency.
a b
A) f a > fb > f c
B) f c > fb > f a
c
C) fb > f a > f c
What is the phase constant φ ?
Determined by oscillator’s position and velocity at t = 0
x(0) = A cos φ
−1 x (0)
φ = cos
A
Cosine and Sine functions are multivalued
cos(θ )=cos(-θ )
sin(θ )=sin(π -θ )
SHM and Circular Motion
Determining the phase constant 𝜙𝜙𝜙 by using a 𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮 𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜.
From the graph: A = 1 m, x(0) = A
- +
-
t=0
t = T/4
t = T/2
t = 3T/4
t=T
Determining the phase constant 𝜙𝜙𝜙 by using a 𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮 𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜.
From the graph: A = 1 m x(0) = -A
- +
-
Determining the phase constant 𝜙𝜙𝜙 by using a 𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮 𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜.
From the graph: A = 1 m, x(0) = 0
- +
-
Determining the phase constant 𝜙𝜙𝜙 by using a 𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮 𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜𝐜.
From the graph: A = 1 m, x(0) = 0
- +
-
t=0
t = T/4
t = T/2
t = 3T/4
t=T
Determine x(t) for the shown displacement versus time plot ?
- +
-
Determine x(t) for the shown displacement versus time plot ?
- +
-
CQ-6
Determine the phase
constant 𝜙𝜙𝜙
A 0 rad
B π/2 rad
C π rad
+
D 3π/2 rad
- +
-
CQ-7
Determine the phase constant 𝜙𝜙𝜙
A 0 rad
B π/2 rad
C π rad
D 3π/2 rad
- +
-
Hooke’s Law Force Horizontal mass-spring
F = −k x F = −k x
Compare it to the standard
equation for SHM
F = −mω x 2
2
mω = k
k
ω=
m
CQ-15
Shown are three displacement versus time graphs of mass-spring
oscillators with identical masses but different spring constants.
Rank the oscillators in the order of (highest to lowest) spring
constants.
1 2 3
A) k1 > k2 > k3
B) k2 > k3 > k1
C) k1 > k3 > k2
D) k3 > k2 > k1
CQ-16
Shown are three displacement versus time graphs of mass-spring
oscillators with identical springs but different masses. Rank the
oscillators in the order of (heaviest to lightest) masses.
1 2 3
A) 𝑚𝑚1 > 𝑚𝑚2 > 𝑚𝑚3
B) 𝑚𝑚2 > 𝑚𝑚3 > 𝑚𝑚1
C) 𝑚𝑚1 > 𝑚𝑚3 > 𝑚𝑚2
D) 𝑚𝑚3 > 𝑚𝑚2 > 𝑚𝑚1
SHM - Velocity
x(t ) A cos(ω t + ϕ )
d x(t ) d
v(t) = = ( A cos(ωt + φ ) )
dt dt
− (ω A) sin(ω t + ϕ )
v(t) =
v max ≡ ωA
When the displacement is maximum (± A) the velocity is zero.
When the velocity is maximum (± vmax ) the displacement is zero
Cosine and Sine functions
v(t ) m/s
2π
+ m/s
3
2π
− m/s
3
2π
x(t ) = (1.0 m) cos t
3
2π 2π
v(t ) = − m/s sin t
3 3
SHM - Acceleration
v(t ) = −ωA sin(ωt + φ )
d v(t ) d
a(t) = = (− ωA sin(ωt + φ ) )
dt dt
a(t ) = − (ω 2 A) cos(ωt + φ )
2
a(t ) = − ω x(t ) a max ≡ ω A 2
The acceleration of a simple harmonic motion is directly
proportional to its displacement and is opposite in sign.
When the displacement is positive the acceleration is negative and
vice versa
x(t) cm a(t) cm/s2
π
=x(t ) (10 cm) cos t + π
4
π
2
π
− 10 × cm/s cos t + π
a (t ) = 2
4 4
CQ-8
The position vs. time graph of a mass-spring oscillator is
shown in the figure. At t = 2 s the mass has:
A. positive velocity and positive acceleration
B. positive velocity and negative acceleration
C. positive velocity and zero acceleration
D. negative velocity and positive acceleration
CQ-9
The position vs. time graph of a mass-spring oscillator is
shown in the figure. At a time when the mass has
maximum displacement (at the blue dot), it has
A. positive velocity and positive acceleration
B. positive velocity and negative acceleration
C. zero velocity and positive acceleration
D. zero velocity and negative acceleration
P
CQ-10
The velocity vs. time graph of a mass-spring oscillator is
shown. At t = 2 s (blue dot) the mass has
A. positive acceleration and positive displacement
B. positive acceleration and negative displacement
C. negative acceleration and positive displacement
D. negative acceleration and negative displacement
P
CQ-11
The velocity vs. time graph of a mass-spring oscillator is shown.
At a time shown by the red dot which of the following statements
about acceleration and displacement of the mass is correct?
A. positive acceleration and positive displacement
B. negative acceleration and positive displacement
C. zero acceleration and positive displacement
D. zero acceleration and zero displacement
CQ-12
The acceleration vs. time graph of a mass-spring oscillator is shown.
At a time shown by the red dot which of the following statements
about the displacement and velocity of the mass is correct?
A. positive displacement and positive velocity
B. positive displacement and negative velocity
C. negative displacement and positive velocity
D. negative displacement and negative velocity
CQ-13
T=2s
t = 0.5 s
-4 0 4 cm
t = 1.0 s
-4 0 4 cm
At t = 1.0 s the velocity of the mass is,
(A) Positive
(B) Negative
(C) Zero
(D) Cannot tell
CQ-14
T=2s
t = 0.5 s
-4 0 4 cm
t = 1.0 s
-4 0 4 cm
At t = 0.5 s the velocity of the mass is,
(A) Positive
(B) Negative
(C) Zero
(D) Cannot tell
• From a displacement graph to a velocity graph:
Shift the displacement graph by (1/4) period
towards left
• From a displacement graph to acceleration
graph:
Shift the displacement graph by (1/2) period
towards right
For the shown displacement graph draw the velocity graph
x(t) m
v(t) m/s
For the shown displacement graph draw the velocity graph
For the shown displacement graph draw the acceleration graph
x(t) m
a(t) m/s2
For the shown POSITION versus time plot draw the velocity and
acceleration plots
x(t) m
v(t) m/s a(t) m/s2
Determine v(t) for the shown velocity versus time plot ?
v(t) m/s
SHM – The Force Law
a(t ) = − (ω 2 A) cos(ωt + φ )
F(t ) = m a (t )
2
F(t ) = − m(ω A) cos(ωt + φ )
F(t ) = (
− mω 2
) x(t )
An object will execute a SHM if the net force acting on the object is
proportional to its displacement from the equilibrium position and
opposite in direction.
In other words, if the direction of the force is always opposite to the
direction of the displacement the motion will be SHM
Vertical mass-spring
L0
original length = L0
d
When the mass is attached,
the spring stretches by d
𝑘𝑘d = m𝑔𝑔
m𝑔𝑔
𝑑𝑑 =
𝑘𝑘
new equilibrium length = L = L0 + d
𝑘𝑘 𝑔𝑔
𝜔𝜔 = =
𝑚𝑚 𝑑𝑑
