Saint Louis University

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING and ARCHITECTURE

Department of Mechanical Engineering

MODULE 7: OSCILLATIONS

PERIODIC MOTION

A marble rolling back and forth on its springs, and a pendulum bob keeping time in a clock
are all examples of periodic motion or oscillation, a motion that repeats itself in a definite
cycle. Periodic motion occurs whenever a body has a stable equilibrium position and a
restoring force that acts when it is displaced from equilibrium.

Basic Concepts:

1. Equilibrium Position (e.p.) – the position of the body when the forces acting on it have
zero resultant; the position of the body when it is at rest.
2. Restoring Force (F) – the net force, acting on a body, directed back toward the
equilibrium position. It is called restoring force because it acts to restore equilibrium.
(newtons)
3. Displacement (x) – the distance of the body from the e.p. at any instant. (meter)
4. Amplitude (A) – is the m maximum magnitude of displacement from equilibrium – that
is, the maximum value of x. (meter)
5. Period (T) – is the time for one cycle (one complete roundtrip). It is always positive.
(seconds)
6. Frequency (f) – is the number of cycles in a unit of time. (hertz)

A particular kind of periodic motion is known as simple harmonic motion. When the restoring
force is directly proportional to the displacement from equilibrium, the oscillation is called
simple harmonic motion (SHM). When an object is disturbed from equilibrium, its motion is
probably simple harmonic motion. Here are some examples of periodic motion that
approximate simple harmonic motion:

Harmonic oscillator – a body that undergoes simple harmonic motion.

MODULE 7: OSCILLATION 1
 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING and ARCHITECTURE
Department of Mechanical Engineering

Equations for SHM:

Our prototype for SHM is a mass attached to a spring.

Using Hooke's law, we have that

Fx
F = kx
F = -kx → equation 1

By Newton’s 2nd Law

F = ma → equation 2

Equate 1 and 2 yields

𝒌
a=- x acceleration of a body in SHM
𝒎

where: k = force constant of spring, N/m

m = mass of body, kg
x = displacement, m
MODULE 7: OSCILLATION 2
 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING and ARCHITECTURE
Department of Mechanical Engineering

SHM and Conservation of Energy

From conservation of energy, we then find that the energy at any point is
Total Energy = Kinetic energy + Potential Energy
E=K+U
E = ½mv2 + ½kx2 → constant
Consider the body at the extreme position or at xmax = A, v = 0, then
E = U = ½kA2
Because E is constant : ½kA2 = ½mv2 + ½kx2

(A ) mk
instantaneous velocity
Then, v = 2
− x2 of the vibrating body

But Period

m
T = 2
k

and Frequency

1 1 k
f = =
T 2 m

It is usually more convenient to work with the angular frequency, . This is defined to be  = 2 f
so
k
=
m

Thus, v =  (A 2
− x2 ) and a = - 2x

MODULE 7: OSCILLATION 3
 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING and ARCHITECTURE
Department of Mechanical Engineering

Displacement, Velocity, and Acceleration in SHM

The reference circle compares the circular motion of an object with its horizontal projection.

The displacement as a function

of time for SHM with phase
angle  is
X(t) = Acos(t + φ)

vx (t)= -Asin(t + φ)

ax (t)= -2Acos(t + φ)
φ = phase angle in SHM

φ= arctan(- vox/xo)
Amplitude, A:

𝒗𝟐
A =√𝒙𝟐𝒐 + ( 𝒐𝒙
)
𝝎𝟐

SHM occurs whenever :

i. there is a restoring force proportional to the displacement from equilibrium: F ∝ −x

ii. the potential energy is proportional to the square of the displacement: PE ∝ x2
iii. the period T or frequency f = 1 / T is independent of the amplitude of the motion.
iv. the position x, the velocity v, and the acceleration a are all sinusoidal in time.

MODULE 7: OSCILLATION 4
 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING and ARCHITECTURE
Department of Mechanical Engineering

MODULE 7: OSCILLATION 5
 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING and ARCHITECTURE
Department of Mechanical Engineering

MODULE 7: OSCILLATION 6
 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING and ARCHITECTURE
Department of Mechanical Engineering

MODULE 7: OSCILLATION 7
 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING and ARCHITECTURE
Department of Mechanical Engineering

THE SIMPLE PENDULUM

SIMPLE PENDULUM – an idealized model consisting of a point mass suspended by a
massless, unstretchable string.
- The path of the point mass is not a straight line but the arc of a circle with radius L
equal to the length of the string.

Laws of the Simple Pendulum

1. The amplitude does not affect the period of a simple pendulum.

2. The angle of swing does not affect the period.

3. The mass of the body does not affect the period.

4. The period is directly proportional to the square root of its length.

5. The period is inversely proportional to the square root of the acceleration.

A pendulum executes SHM, if the amplitude is not too large.

Equation for a Simple Pendulum
𝑔
=√
𝐿

𝐿
T = 2√𝑔

MODULE 7: OSCILLATION 8
 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING and ARCHITECTURE
Department of Mechanical Engineering

Assignment: due July 16, 2020

1. A simple harmonic oscillator takes 12.0 s to undergo five complete vibrations. Find (a)
the period of its motion, (b) the frequency in hertz, and (c) the angular frequency in
radians per second.
2. A 7.00 kg object is hung from the bottom end of a vertical spring fastened to an
overhead beam. The object is set into vertical oscillations having a period of 2.60 s. Find
the force constant of the spring.
3. At an outdoor market, a bunch of bananas attached to the bottom of a vertical spring
of force constant 16.0 N/m is set into oscillatory motion with an amplitude of 20.0 cm. It
is observed that the maximum speed of the bunch of bananas is 40.0 cm/s. What is the
weight of the bananas in newtons?
4. A block-spring system oscillates with an amplitude of 3.50 cm. The spring constant is 250
N/m and the mass of the block is 0.500 kg. Determine (a) the mechanical energy of the
system, (b) the maximum speed of the block, and (c) the maximum acceleration.
5. ) A 326-g object is attached to a spring and executes simple harmonic motion with a
period of 0.250 s. If the total energy of the system is 5.83 J, find (a) the maximum speed
of the object, (b) the force constant of the spring, and (c) the amplitude of the motion.

MODULE 7: OSCILLATION 9