Simple Harmonic Motion

Simple harmonic motion happens in our everyday life even in simple activities we are not aware of.
This lesson will help you understand what is simple harmonic motion and how it is happening.

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

1. understand what is simple harmonic motion;
2. do calculations with simple harmonic motion; and
3. apply the ideas of simple harmonic motion to different real-life application;

4. ENGAGE
5. Imagine a guitar (grab if you have ), the guitar has different strings in different thickness.
Now, pluck each strings of the guitar and observed what happens. Answer the questions that
follow.
6.
7. 1. Describe the motion produced by plucking
the string of the guitar.
8. ______________________________________
________
9. ______________________________________
________ 2. What did you observe as you pluck the
string from the thinnest to the thickest?
10. ______________________________________
________
11. ______________________________________________
12.
13. 3. Do you think plucking the guitar string exhibits simple harmonic motion? Why or why
not?
14. __________________________________________________________________________
______
15. __________________________________________________________________________
______

EXPLORE

“SPRING AWAY!”

Materials: In this activity, you need a spring and 3 objects of your choice with different mass
that can be attached to the spring, a ruler and a timer.
Instruction: 1. Hang one end of the spring in one side of your table. Make sure the spring is
attached well.
2. Attach the first object in the spring and pull the object.
3. Observe and measure the distance it covered to complete one cycle (lowest to highest
point)
4. Record your observation in the table below.
5. Repeat the same procedure to the 2 different object.
 ENGAGE

OBJECT MASS (Estimated) TIME to complete 1 cycle (point it was fully compressed
and point where it was fully stretched)

1.

2.

3.

Question:
1. Describe the motion produced when you pull each object.
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2. What happens to the motion of the spring as you put different objects with different masses?
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Based from the table how can you describe the relationship of the mass of an object and the period it
takes to complete one cycle.
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How did you find the activity? This activity tells you what is simple harmonic motion is.

EXPLAIN
 Some motion involves a singular action, like a rock falling to a cliff down to the ground, this will just
probably happen one time after which the rock will remain at rest. But some motion are periodic
meaning repeated like the motion of a pendulum on a grandfather clock, or the vibration of a
spring. We will refer to this kind of motion as SIMPLE HARMONIC MOTION (SHM) which also
shown in the activity earlier.
 For example we have a string attached to some stationary surface. If you pull the block, the spring
will expand and when you release the block, vibrations will occur between more compressed and
less compressed state, if the surface is completely frictionless. (see illustration
below)

 Now, it will reach its Maximum Potential Energy if it is either most compressed or least compressed
and its Maximum Kinetic Energy will be reached if it is right in the middle. (see illustration on the
next page)
EXPLAIN
  If you will graph the position of the block against time, it will display SINUSOIDAL BEHAVIOR where
block occupies the same position over a particular period and that is why we called it periodic
motion.
 Periodic motion is the motion that repeat itself in equal intervals of time. We need to know periodic
motions to understand simple harmonic motion
SPRING SYSTEM
 Every spring has different properties, some springs are loose (ex. Slingky), some are stiff (ex.
Pingpong play). This factor is represented by spring constant (k) or the rigidity of the spring.  The
equation on finding the force of the spring is

 Where Fspring is the force of the spring, -k is the spring constant and x is the displacement of the
object it acts upon, this is also known as the Hooke’s Law.
 You will notice that the spring constant is negative because negative sign represent that the force
exerted by the spring is always opposite the motion of the object. If the object compressed the
spring, the force will push it out and vice-versa. The spring always attempt to move or return the
object to its equilibrium position, that is why it is called restoring force.
 Remember that an object is said to be in simple harmonic motion if the following occurs:
• it moves in a uniform path;
• a variable force acts on it.;
• the magnitude of force is proportional to the displacement of the mass;
• the force is always opposite in direction to the displacement direction; and
• the motion is repetitive and a round trip, back and forth, is always made in equal time
periods.
ELABORATE

To understand more what is harmonic motion and how it works, here are some of its real-life
applications. It is used to model many real-life situations in our daily life. Let’s understand some of them.

PENDULUM
You all must have seen the pendulum in the clocks moving to and
fro regularly. When we pull a simple pendulum from its equilibrium
position and then release it, it swings in a vertical plane under the
influence of gravity. It begins to oscillate about its mean position.
Therefore, the motion is oscillatory and is simple harmonic motion.

SWING
Swings in the parks are also the example of simple harmonic motion.
The back and forth, repetitive movements of the swing against the
restoring force is the simple harmonic motion.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

When a musician strums the guitar, the vibration of the strings

produce sounds that the human ear hears as music. When a guitar
string is plucked, it moves a certain distance, depending on how hard
the guitar player strums. The string returns to its starting point and
travels nearly the same distance in the opposite direction. The
vibrational energy of the string is dissipated in the form of sound. The
amplitude of the vibrations decreases gradually. The volume of the
sound fades until the string eventually falls silent.
ELABORATE

BUNGEE JUMPING
The bungee jumping is also an example of simple harmonic
motion. The long elastic rubber is tied to the ankle of the
person who then jumps off from the bridge or certain height.
The jumper is oscillating down and up and undergoing SHM
due to the elasticity of the bungee cord, albeit to decreasing
altitude.

CRADLE
The back and forth movement of the cradle is caused by a single push
to it and is maintained by the principle of SHM, and hence, causing the
baby to sleep. .

EVALUATION

DIRECTION: Do the following.

1. Describe simple harmonic motion. Cite examples.
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2. Solve the following problems:
A. How much force is needed to pull a spring with a spring constant of 20 N/m with a distance of 25
cm?

B. A spring is pulled to 10 cm and held in place with a force of 500 N. What is the spring constant of
the spring?