Simple Harmonic Motion

Physics 1425 Lecture 28

Michael Fowler, UVa

 Force of a Stretched Spring
• If a spring is pulled to • A
extend beyond its
Natural length
natural length by a
distance x, it will pull
back with a force
F = − kx Spring’s force
where k is called the F = − kx
“spring constant”.

The same linear force is Extension x

also generated when the
spring is compressed.
 Mass on a Spring
• Suppose we attach a • A
Natural length
mass m to the spring,
free to slide backwards m
and forwards on the
frictionless
frictionless surface, then
pull it out to x and let go. Spring’s force
F = − kx
• F = ma is:
m
md 2 x / dt 2 = −kx

Extension x
 Solving the Equation of Motion
• For a mass oscillating on the end of a spring,
md 2 x / dt 2 = −kx
• The most general solution is
= x A cos (ωt + φ )
• Here A is the amplitude, f is the phase, and by
putting this x in the equation, mω2 = k, or
ω= k/m
• Just as for circular motion, the time for a
complete cycle
=T 1/= f 2π = / ω 2π m / k ( f in Hz.)
 Energy in SHM: Potential Energy
Stored in the Spring
• Plotting a graph of external • A
force F = kx as a function of x, F
the work to stretch the spring Δx
from x to x + Δx is force x kx0
kx
distance
• ΔW = kxΔx, so the total work 0 x
x0
to stretch the spring to x0 is
x0
This work is stored in
=W ∫=
0
kxdx 1
2 kx02
the spring as potential
energy.
 Potential Energy U(x) Stored in Spring
• The potential energy • X
U(x)
curve is a parabola, its
steepness determined by
the spring constant k.
U(x) = ½kx2
• For a mass m oscillating
on the spring, with
displacement
=x A cos (ωt + φ ) 0 x

=
the potential energy is U ( x ) 1
2 kA2 cos 2 (ωt + φ )
 Total Energy E for a SHO
• The total energy E of a mass • X
m oscillating on a spring
having constant k is the sum
of the mass’s kinetic energy
and the spring’s potential E=K+U
energy:
• E = ½mv2 + ½kx2 U(x) = ½kx2
• For a given E, the mass will
oscillate between the points
x = A and –A, where
• E = ½kA2 -A 0 x A
• Maximum speed is at x = 0,
where U(x) =0, and
E = ½mv2 at x = 0
 Mass Hanging on a Spring
• Suppose as before the • A
spring constant is k.

Natural length
• There will be an
extension x0, kx0 = mg,
when the mass is at rest.
Extension x0 for
• The equation of motion mass m at rest
is now:
m
2
−k ( x − x0 )
md x / dt =
2

• with solution
− x0 A cos (ωt + φ ) , =
x= ω k / m.
2
 The Simple Pendulum
• A simple pendulum has a bob, • v
a mass m treated as a point
mass, at the end of a light
string of length ℓ.
θ
• We consider only small
amplitude oscillations, and ℓ
measure the displacement
x = ℓθ along the circular arc.
m
• The restoring force is
mgsinθ
F = -mgsinθ ≅ -mgθ along
the arc.
 F = ma for the Simple Pendulum
• The displacement along the • v
circular arc is x = ℓθ.
• The restoring force is
θ
F = -mgsinθ ≅ -mgθ = -mgx/ℓ
ℓ
along the arc.
• F = ma is
m
d2x/dt2 = −gx/ℓ
mgsinθ
(canceling out m from both
sides!).
 Period of the Simple Pendulum
• The equation of motion • v
d 2 x / dt 2 = − gx / 
has solution θ

=x A cos (ωt + φ ) ℓ

• Here
ω = g / m
mgsinθ
and the time for a complete
swing
The time for a complete swing
= π / ω 2π  / g .
T 2= doesn’t depend on the mass m,
for the same reason that different
masses fall at the same rate.
 Reminder: the Conical Pendulum
• Imagine a conical pendulum in • v
steady circular motion with small θ
angle θ. ℓ

• As viewed from above, it moves

 m
in a circle, the centripetal
 force r
being − ( mg /  ) r .
Top View:
• So the equation of motion is
 
d r / dt = − ( g /  ) r
2 2


and for the x-component of r r
d 2 x / dt 2 = − gx / 
 The SHO and Circular Motion
• We can now see that the equation
• v
of motion of the simple pendulum
at small angles—which is a simple θ
ℓ
harmonic oscillator
d x / dt = − gx / 
2 2
 m
r
is nothing but the x-component of
the steady circular motion of the Top View:
conical pendulum
 
d r / dt = − ( g /  ) r
2 2

r
• The simple pendulum is the
shadow of the conical pendulum!
 The Physical Pendulum
• The term “physical pendulum” • v
is used to denote a rigid body axis
free to rotate about a fixed
axis, making small angular h
oscillations under gravity. θ
• Taking the distance of the CM mgsinθ CM
from the axis to be h, at (small)
angle displacement θ, the
torque is
=τ mgh sin θ ≅ mghθ
 τ = Iα for the Physical Pendulum
• In the small angle approximation, • v
the equation of motion τ = Iα is axis
d 2θ
I 2 = −mghθ h
dt
θ
• with solution mgsinθ CM
=θ θ 0 cos (ωt + φ )
• and
= π / ω 2π I / mgh .
T 2=
• Remember this is Iaxis = ICM + mh2!