Elastic Potential Energy

and
Simple Harmonic Motion

By Sandeep Malhi
Learning Goal-
By the end of this lesson, Students will
• demonstrate understanding of Hooke’s Law, Elastic
Potential Energy, Simple Harmonic Motion of mass–
spring system.
Success Criteria:
I know I have achieved learning goals if I can:
• Describe in detail Hooke’s Law, Force constant, Elastic
Potential Energy with derivation, Damped Harmonic
Motion
• Analyze the Simple Harmonic Motion of mass–spring
system.
• solve problems related to Elastic Potential Energy .
• apply learning to daily life problems.
 Hooke’s Law
The force exerted by an elastic device varies as the device is stretched or compressed.
To analyze the force mathematically, consider a horizontal spring attached to a wall
and resting on a surface with negligible friction in Figure (a). The position at which
the spring rests, x = 0, is the equilibrium position.
If a force is applied to the spring, stretching the spring to the right of equilibrium, the
spring pulls back to the left as shown in Figure (b). Similarly, if a force is applied to
compress the spring to the left of equilibrium,
the spring pushes back to the right.

In both cases, the direction of the force

exerted by the spring is opposite to the
direction of the force applied to the
spring.
 Hooke’s Law
Experiments with springs concludes-
Hooke’s law- the magnitude of the force exerted by a spring is
directly proportional to the distance the spring has moved from
equilibrium.
𝐹𝑋 = -k X

where Fx is the force exerted by the spring, x is the position of the

spring relative to equilibrium, and k (the proportionality constant) is
the force constant of the spring.

Ideal spring- a spring that obeys Hooke’s law because it experiences

no internal or external friction.
 Force Constant (k)
Force Constant (k)- the proportionality constant of a spring.

Springs that require a large force to stretch or compress them have

large k values.

According to Hooke’s law, if x > 0, then Fx < 0. In other words, if the

spring is stretched in the +x direction, it pulls in the opposite
direction. Similarly, if x< 0, then Fx > 0,which means that if the
spring is compressed in the -x direction, it pushes in the opposite
direction.
Since -kx indicates the force exerted by the spring, we can apply
Newton’s third law to find that +kx is the force applied to the spring to
stretch or compress it to position x. Thus, Hooke’s law for the force
applied to a spring is: 𝐹𝑋 = k X
Are Shorter Springs Stiffer Springs?

A 10-coil spring that has a spring

constant k. If this spring is cut in
half, so there are two 5-coil springs,
what is the spring constant of each
of the smaller springs?

Shorter springs are stiffer springs.

Sometimes the spring constant k is referred to as the

stiffness of the spring, because a large value for k
means the spring is “stiff,” in the sense that a large
force is required to stretch or compress it.
A student stretches a spring horizontally a distance of 15 mm by
applying a force of 0.18 N [E].
(a) Determine the force constant of the spring.
(b) What is the force exerted by the spring on the student?
A ball of mass 0.075 kg is hung from a vertical spring that is
allowed to stretch slowly from its unstretched equilibrium position
until it comes to a new equilibrium position 0.15 m below the initial
one. Figure (a) is a system diagram and Figure (b) is an FBD of the
ball at its new equilibrium position.
(a) Determine the force constant of the spring.
(b) If the ball is returned to the spring’s unstretched equilibrium
position and then allowed to fall, what is the net force on the ball
when it has dropped 0.071 m?
(c) Determine acceleration of the ball at the position specified in (b).
(a)
(b) Figure shown is the FBD for the ball when x 5 0.071 m. Considering the
components of the forces in the vertical (x) direction:

(c)
 Elastic Potential Energy
Elastic Potential Energy (Ee )- the energy stored in an object that is
stretched, compressed, bent, or twisted
When an archer draws a bow, work is done on the limbs of the bow, giving them
potential energy, the stored energy can be transferred to the arrow, which gains kinetic
energy as it leaves the bow.
To derive an equation for elastic potential energy, we consider the work
done on an ideal spring in stretching or compressing it.
Area under the line on a force-displacement
graph indicates the work. Area of a triangle is
1
equal to bh.
2
1
W = x (kx)
2
1
W = kx²
2
1
Ee = kx²
2 The magnitude of the force applied
to a spring as a function of x
An apple of mass 0.10 kg is attached to a vertical spring with a
force constant of 9.6 N/m. The apple is held so that the spring is at
its unstretched equilibrium position, then it is allowed to fall.
Neglect the mass of the spring and its kinetic energy.
(a) How much elastic potential energy is stored in the spring when
the apple has fallen 11 cm?
(b) What is the speed of the apple when it has fallen 11 cm?
.
Solution-
(a) We measure the extension x of the spring from its original unstretched position
( x = 0) and choose +x to be downward
(b)
 Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM)
Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM)- periodic vibratory motion in which
the force (and the acceleration) is directly proportional to the
displacement

Examples-
As you are walking, your foot swings back
and forth with a motion that resembles the
SHM of a pendulum. The speed of your
foot during parts of the cycle is
approximately 1.5 times the speed
of your forward motion.
 SHM of Mass- Spring System
When a mass on the end of a spring vibrates in line with the central axis of the spring,
it undergoes longitudinal vibration. Consider the longitudinal vibration of a mass on a
flat surface, connected to end of a horizontal spring that can be stretched or compressed

Using the longitudinal vibration of a mass-spring system to define simple harmonic

motion (SHM)
(a) The equilibrium position (b) The position of maximum stretch
(c) Releasing the mass (d) The position of maximum compression
 The equations for the SHM of a
mass–spring system
Time Period-

where T is the period in seconds, m is the mass in kilograms, and k is

the force constant of the spring in newton per metre.

Since the Frequency is the reciprocal of the period,

These equations for the SHM of a mass–spring system apply even if

the motion is vertical.
A 0.45-kg mass is attached to a spring with a force constant of 1.4
3 102 N/m. The mass spring system is placed horizontally, with the
mass resting on a surface that has negligible friction. The mass is
displaced 15 cm, and is then released. Determine the period and
frequency of the SHM.
.
 Energy in Simple Harmonic Motion
Let us now look at the energy transformations in an ideal spring that undergoes SHM
1
as in Figure. [Elastic potential energy Ee = kx²]
2
The spring is first stretched to the right, to x = A, from its equilibrium position, then
released. The elastic potential energy is at a maximum at x =A:
1
Ee = kA²
2
According to the law of conservation of energy,
when the mass is released, the total energy ET
of the system is the sum of the elastic potential
energy in the spring and the kinetic energy
of the mass. Thus,
Mechanical energy in
a mass–spring system

where k is spring constant, x is displacement of the mass from the equilibrium position,
m is the mass at the end of the spring, and v is the instantaneous speed of the mass.
 Damped Harmonic Motion
Damped Harmonic Motion- periodic or repeated motion in which
the amplitude of vibration and the energy decrease with time.
For example, if you were to step onto a bathroom scale to find your
mass or weight, you would not want the spring in the scale to undergo
SHM. You would expect the spring
to settle down quickly and come to
rest so you could observe the
reading. This “settling down” is
called damping.
Another example is the system of
springs and shock absorbers
A displacement-time curve representing
in a car damped harmonic motion. The overall outline
of the curve is called the envelope of damping.