Simple Harmonic Motion

Created by
Dr. Suvankar Chakraborty
Email: suvophyclass@gmail.com
webpage: https://sites.google.com/view/suvophy
Editted by: Dr. Tanusri Dey
 UNIT-II: Oscillations And Waves

Simple Harmonic Oscillation

Motion of simple and compound pendulum

Energy Considerations

Coupled oscillations, approximate solutions

linear and transverse oscillations.

 Oscillations
•Oscillations are vibrations which repeat themselves.

EXAMPLE: Oscillations
can be driven externally,
like a pendulum in a
gravitational field

EXAMPLE: Oscillations can

be driven internally, like a
mass on a spring.
SHM

What do all of them have in common?

Restoring force !!!! Proportional to displacement
And the same math -☺
 Periodic motion

Periodic • motion repeated in equal intervals of time.

motion

Period • The time duration of the cycle.

(T)

• the point where displacement (x) is zero.

Equilibrium • Displacement is a vector, it can be positive or negative.
position
Oscillatory Motion
• The graph of an oscillatory motion has the form of a
Cosine or Sine function.
• A graph or a function that has the form of a sine or cosine
function is called sinusoidal.
• A sinusoidal oscillation is called simple harmonic motion
(SHM).
Linear Restoring Forces and Simple Harmonic Motion
A linear restoring force tends to push a system back toward a point
of stable equilibrium, with a magnitude that varies linearly with the
displacement away from equilibrium. An example is Hookes’ law
for an ideal spring

F = −kx
Applying Newton’s second law gives a second-order ordinary
differential equation 2
d x k
2
=− x
dt m

the solution of which is a sinusoidal variation of position in time

x(t) = xm cos(t + ) ( = k /m)

Any systemwith displacement following this form is said to be
undergoing simple harmonic motion (SHM).
 Conditions for SHM
Any system for which the acceleration varies with the negative of the displacement will
exhibit SHM. The coefficient between a and x defines the square of the angular
frequency 2.

a(x) = − 2 x x(t) = x m cos(t +  )

Descriptive features of SHM

Although the causes of SHM will vary from one system to another, the
sinusoidal variation is a common element. All solutions are directly
 characterized by three features:
xm : maximum displacement amplitude (or amplitude)
 : angular frequency
: phase constant (or phase angle)
 and  can alternately be specified by either of the following:
f : frequency, f =  /2p measured in Hertz (1 Hz = 1s-1)
T : period, T = 1/f = 2p/
 Simple harmonic motion (SHM)
A motion is simple harmonic if :
▪ The magnitude of the restoring force (  acceleration) is proportional to
the displacement of
the body from a fixed point.
▪ The direction of the force (and therefore the acceleration) is always
towards that fixed point.
Mathematically,

𝒂 ∝ −𝒙
𝒐𝒓 𝑭 ∝ −𝒙
𝒅𝟐 𝒙
𝐨𝐫 , 𝟐 ∝ −𝒙
𝒅𝒕
𝒅𝟐 𝒙
𝐨𝐫 , 𝟐 = −𝝎𝟐 𝒙
𝒅𝒕

❑ The negative sign indicates that the

acceleration is directed towards
equilibrium, as x is directed away from
equilibrium.
Oscillatory Motion
Connection to Uniform Circular Motion
• Circular motion and simple
harmonic motion are motions
that repeat.
• Uniform circular motion
projected onto one dimension
is simple harmonic motion.
 Connection to Uniform Circular Motion
• The x-component of the circular motion when the particle
is at angle ϕ is x = Acosϕ.
• The angle at a later time is ϕ = ωt.
• ω is the particle’s angular velocity : ω = 2πf.
Connection to Uniform Circular Motion
• Therefore the particle’s x-component is expressed
x(t) = A cos (2pft)
• The x-component of a particle in uniform circular motion
is simple harmonic motion.

• The x-component of the velocity vector is

vx = −v sin ϕ= −(2pf ) A sin(2pft)
• This corresponds to simple harmonic motion if we define
the maximum speed to be
vmax = 2pfA
Solution to equation of Simple Harmonic Motion
𝒅𝟐𝒙
Differential equation of SHM = −𝝎𝟐 𝒙
𝒅𝒕 𝟐

Solution of the above equation can be found by trial solution as

x = a sin (𝜔t+𝜙)
The quantity 𝜔t+𝜙 is called phase of the motion and 𝜙 is called “phase constant
(It can also be a cosine function. That will also give same motion but only differ in phase
In more general form x = a sin 𝜔t cos 𝜙 + a cos𝜔t sin 𝜙
= (a cos 𝜙 ) sin 𝜔t + (a sin 𝜙 ) cos𝜔t
x = A sin 𝜔t +B cos𝜔t
Where A = a cos 𝜙 and B = a sin 𝜙 ⟹ a = (A2+B2)1/2 and tan 𝜙 = B/A
How to understand  ?
x = xm cos(t +  )

x −t
x  =0
xm p
=
o t 2
 =p
− xm
T
 Velocity of particle executing SHM

𝑥 = 𝑎 sin 𝜔𝑡 + 𝛿

𝒅𝒙
𝒗= = 𝒂𝝎 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝝎𝒕 + 𝜹
𝒅𝒕
𝒙𝟐
= ±𝒂𝝎 𝟏 − 𝟐 = ±𝝎 𝒂𝟐 − 𝒙𝟐
𝒂
➢ Velocity is maximum when x = 0 and 𝒗max = ±𝝎𝒂

Acceleration of particle executing SHM

𝒅𝒗
𝒇= = −𝒂𝝎𝟐 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝝎𝒕 + 𝜹 = −𝝎𝟐 𝒙
𝒅𝒕

Acceleration is maximum at x = a and

fmax = −𝜔2 𝑎 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 0
Energy in Simple Harmonic Motion
Kinetic Energy:
Ek = ½ mv2 = ½ m (𝜔 𝑎2 − 𝑥 2 )2
𝟏
𝑬𝒌 = 𝒎𝝎𝟐 (𝒂𝟐 − 𝒙𝟐 )
𝟐
Potential Energy:
Potential energy for particle executing SHM can be calculated from the total work done in
overcoming the restoring force through a distance x
Here force = - 𝑚𝜔2 𝑥
𝑥 1
Potential Energy 𝐸𝑝 = ‫׬‬0 𝑚𝜔2 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 = 𝑚𝜔 2𝑥 2
2

Total energy
1 2 1
E = 𝐸𝑘 + 𝐸𝑝 = 𝑚𝜔 𝑎2 − 𝑥 2 + 𝑚𝜔 2𝑥 2
2 2

𝟏
𝑬 = 𝒎𝝎𝟐 𝒂𝟐 = 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕
𝟐
Both Ek and Ep vary with twice the frequency of the
displacement and velocity.

The total mechanical energy E is

1 2
E = Ek + Ep = ka
2

1 2
Ek ( x) = kx
2
E K ( x) = E − U ( x)
U(x)

K(x)

− xm xm x
❑ when the object is at rest the
potential energy is a maximum and
the kinetic energy is 0.
❑ At the equilibrium position, the
kinetic energy is a maximum and the
potential energy is 0.
❑ At maximum displacement, the
energy is purely potential:

❑ At x = 0, the equilibrium position, the

energy is purely kinetic:
Oscillation of liquid in U tube is SHM Cross-section A Cross-section A

x
Let A be the cross section and 2x
x
it is depressed by x in height.
Difference in liquid level in two h
arm will be 2x
Density ρ Density ρ
Liquid in both arm will tend to
be at same level

Force responsible for motion of liquid

F = weight of the liquid of height 2x
= - (2x A) ρ g , force and dispt works in opposite direction
F = - (2A ρg) x
F∝-x
So it obeys SHM
 Oscillation of liquid in U tube is SHM

𝑑2 𝑥
m 2 = - (2A ρg) x
𝑑𝑡
Now, m = mass of the liquid of height
2h = 2hA ρ
𝑑2 𝑥
So, 2hA ρ 2= - (2A ρg) x
𝑑𝑡
𝑑2 𝑥
= - (g/h) x
𝑑𝑡 2

𝑔
So, we can write, angular frequency ω=
ℎ
ℎ
Time period of oscillation T = 2π/ω = 2π
𝑔
 Compound Pendulum
❖ A rigid body of any shape, capable of mg
oscillating about a horizontal axis passing
through it in a vertical plane is called a S
Compound Pendulum.
❖ Centre of Suspension: The point through 
which the vertical plane passing through
the centre of gravity of the pendulum
l
meets the axis of rotation.
❖ The distance between the point of
suspension and the C.G. of the pendulum
is called the length of the pendulum. l Sin
G’
Equation of motion of the compound
pendulum: G
mg
Let an arbitrary shaped rigid body of mass m
is capable of oscillating freely about a
horizontal axis passing through it
perpendicular to its plane.
• Suppose S be the point of suspension of the body and let G be the C.G. of
the body at a distance l from the point S. let  be the small angular
displacement of the body.
• Let G’ be the new C.G. of the body at this displaced position.
• The following forces are acting on the body in displaced position:
(i) Weight of the body mg acting vertically downwards at G’.
(ii) The force of reaction equal to mg acting vertically upwards at S.
• These forces constitute a Couple. This couple tends to bring the pendulum
back to its mean position.
• So, Moment of Restoring Couple
 = −mgl sin  (1)
The –ve sign shows that torque is directed opposite to the increasing
direction of displacement .

d 2
If dt 2
be the angular acceleration and I be the moment of inertia of the
pendulum about the axis passing through the point of suspension S.
• Then the restoring couple is given by
d 2 (2)
 =I 2
dt
Now comparing Eq.(1) and (2), we get
d 2
I 2 = −mgl sin 
dt
Or, d 2 mgl sin 
= −
dt 2 I
If the amplitude  is very small and hence
sin   
Therefore, d2
mgl (3)
2
= − 
dt I
The Eq.(3) is the Differential equation of the SHM.
Since, mgl is constant so, d   
2

I dt 2
i.e. The Angular acceleration is proportional to angular displacement.
Hence, the motion of the pendulum is SHM.
Wave Motion

A wave travels
along its medium,
but the individual
particles just move
up and down.
 Wave Motion
All types of traveling waves transport energy.
Study of a single wave
pulse shows that it is begun
with a vibration and
transmitted through internal
forces in the medium.
Continuous waves start
with vibrations too. If the
vibration is SHM, then the
wave will be sinusoidal.
 Wave Motion

Wave characteristics:
• Amplitude, A
• Wavelength, λ
• Frequency f and period T
• Wave velocity
Types of Waves and Their Speeds: Transverse and Longitudinal

▪ Transverse waves are waves in which the particles of the medium oscillate
perpendicular to the direction in which the wave is traveling.
◌ EM waves, Earthquake secondary waves, waves on a stringed musical instrument,
waves on the rope.
▪ Longitudinal waves are waves in which the particles of the medium vibrate parallel to
the direction in which the wave is traveling.
◌ Sound waves in any medium, shock waves in an earthquake, compression waves along a
spring
Types of Waves and Their Speeds: Transverse
and Longitudinal

Sound waves are longitudinal waves: