Simple Harmonic Motion

We are familiar with many day to day examples of Periodic motion such as:
motion of earth round the sun, revolving of a wheel etc. In a periodic
motion, the particle repeats itself after a certain time interval and that time
interval is referred to as time period of the periodic motion. One subset of
these kinds of periodic motion is called oscillation where the particle moves
to and fro about a mean position or equilibrium position. Why?
A body is said to be in static equilibrium if total force acting on it is zero.
Consider two types of equilibrium given below. In case (a), a hill and in (b),
a tunnel is shown.

(a)

(b)

In (a), the body is in equilibrium, but if displaced slightly, it will go for ever
and will never come back. This is called an unstable equilibrium. In nature,
everybody wants to attain a minimum energy state. But in (a) body is at
highest energy state. So it is always trying to go back to minimum energy
state. This is a unbound system and will never give rise to oscillation.
In case (b), the body is in equilibrium and if displaced, it will try to come
back and the gravitational force will try to take it back to the equilibrium
position. This is a stable equilibrium, since particle is already in minimum
energy state. This system will perform oscillation if it is displaced from

mean position. The gravitational force is acting as restoring force here which
is helping in oscillation.
In general if the restoring force is proportional to displacement from
equilibrium, oscillation is called simple harmonic.

F =kx

For a one dimensional oscillation, if want to drop vector signs, we will

incorporate a negative sign as restoring force and displacement are opposite
to each other.

F = kx
d 2x
m
+ kx = 0
2
dt

d 2x
2
+

x = 0 .(1)
0
2
dt
Where

k
= 02
m

The auxiliary equation of the differential equation is (putting eMx as solution)

M 2 + 02 = 0
Or M = i0
So, solution of eq.(1) is
i0 t
i0 t

x = Ae
If we put

A = C ei

+ Be
and

B = Cei

i(0t +)

ei(0t+) + e
=
x
C
We get,

Or

x = 2C cos (0t + )

Or

x = x0 cos (0t + )

x0 is the amplitude of the oscillation, 0 is the natural frequency of

oscillation and is the initial phase or epoch.
The velocity and acceleration of the body under oscillation is

v = x 00 sin (0t + )
a = x002 cos(0t +) =02 x
Total energy of the oscillator is

1
1
E = PE + KE = kx2 + mv2
2
2
1 2
1 2 2 2
2
=

+
E
kx
cos
t
mx0 0 sin (0t + )
(
)
0
0
Or
2
2
Putting

k
= 02 , we get
m

E =
Which is constant with time.

1 2
kx 0
2