Name: ____________________

Unit P1-10 – Simple Harmonic Motion*

Lesson Notes

P1-10-1: Oscillations

Explain what “oscillation” means.

Test Your Understanding: Let PM stand for “Periodic Motion”, which is any motion that repeats itself over
and over again (a synonym of “vibrational motion”). Let SHM stand for “Simple Harmonic Motion”. Which
Venn Diagram correctly illustrates the relationship between PM and SHM? Explain your reasoning.

Diagram A Diagram B Diagram C Diagram D Diagram E

Explain “endpoint”, “equilibrium”, and “amplitude”.

Explain what period, frequency, and angular frequency are, including symbols and equations that relate them.

What is “restoring force”?

Fill in the T-Table with properties of SHM and properties of non-SHM oscillations

Simple Harmonic Motion properties Properties of non-SHM Oscillations

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Write the equation for the period of a spring-mass oscillator and explain each symbol.

Name two things that the period of a spring-mass oscillator does NOT depend on.

Briefly explain how you could use the above equation to measure the spring constant of a spring.

Write the equation for the period of a simple pendulum oscillator and explain each symbol.

Name two things that the period of a simple pendulum does NOT depend on.

Briefly explain how you could use the pendulum equation to measure the gravitational field of a planet.

Under what circumstances can we use the simple pendulum period equation and treat a simple pendulum as
SHM?

Explain why a bouncing ball is NOT simple harmonic motion.

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P1-10-2: Describing Simple Harmonic Motion

Test Your Understanding: The graph of position vs. time for a simple harmonic oscillator is shown. Sketch
the other five graphs for the same time interval.

Write the general equation for the position of an object in SHM as a function of time. Point out what the
symbols mean.

Test Your Understanding: Suppose that a vibrating object can be described by the position-time function
x = 0.32 sin (7.31t ) , where x is in meters and t is in seconds. If the object’s mass is 6.2 kg, what is the spring
constant of the spring that the object is attached to? Explain your steps.

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Give three equations that express the total energy of an object experiencing Simple Harmonic Motion.

Show how the equation for the maximum speed of an oscillating object is derived from Conservation of Energy.

How does the equation for maximum speed of an oscillating object relate to the speed of an object moving in
uniform circular motion?

Show how the equation for the maximum acceleration of an oscillating object is derived from Newton’s Second
Law.

How does the equation for maximum acceleration of an oscillating object relate to the centripetal acceleration of
an object moving in uniform circular motion?

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Example: Use the position vs. time graph below to determine the following.

The period T The frequency f The angular frequency  The amplitude A

The times at which The times at which The times at which zero The maximum velocity
maximum positive maximum negative velocity occurs
velocity occur velocity occur

The times at which The times at which The times at which zero The maximum
maximum positive maximum negative acceleration occurs acceleration
acceleration occur acceleration occur

When does the energy When does the energy When does the energy What is the equation that
look like this? look like this? look like this? relates x and t for this
oscillator?

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A spring is hung from a tall ceiling that is 8 m above the floor. The spring is 2 m long
and has a spring constant of 100 N/m. A 40 kg block is attached to the lower end of the
spring, and the block is held at position y = 4 m above the floor. At time t = 0, the block
is released from rest.

(a) Calculate the equilibrium height y0 of the block’s oscillation above the floor and the
period of the block’s oscillation.

(b) Draw a graph of y, the block’s height above the (e) Draw a graph of the acceleration a of the block as
floor, as a function of time. a function of time, where up is positive.

(c) Calculate the maximum speed, maximum

acceleration, and total energy of the oscillation.
(f) Draw a graph of the kinetic energy K of the block
as a function of time. Put a scale on the vertical
axis.

(g) Draw a graph of the potential energy K of the

(d) Draw a graph of the velocity v of the block as a block-spring-Earth system as a function of time.
function of time, where up is positive. Put a scale on the vertical axis.

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P1-10-3: Inertial and Gravitational Mass

Explain what “inertial mass” is.

List all of the equations that appear on the equation sheet that have inertial mass in them.

Explain what “gravitational mass” is.

List all of the equations that appear on the equation sheet that have gravitational mass in them.

Suppose that Mr. Frensley has a mass of 100 kg. What is his inertial mass? What is his gravitational mass?
What is true about inertial and gravitational mass for every object in the universe?

Briefly explain the Galileo Experiment was and draw a diagram. Then explain how this experiment shows what
you said about gravitational and inertial mass. Show an equation as part of your explanation.

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Test Your Understanding: Each experiment described below is an experiment to calculate the mass of an
object. For each experiment, draw a diagram for the experiment and briefly explain how the measured data can
be used to calculate the mass. Then state whether the experiment will calculate the inertial mass of the object or
its gravitational mass. Explain your choice.

Experiment 1: A person sets a cart of unknown mass on a frictionless flat track. The person pulls the cart with
a spring scale, measuring a force F. The person also uses a meterstick and a stopwatch to measure the distance
d the cart moves, starting from rest, in a measured time t.

Experiment 2: A person hangs a spring of known constant k from a rod and uses a meterstick to measure the
length of the string Li. The person then hangs an unknown mass from the spring and measures the spring’s new
longer length Lf.

Experiment 3: A person places a ball of unknown mass on top of a vertical spring of known spring constant k in
a tube. The person pushes the ball down onto the spring a distance x, then releases the ball. The ball rises up
from its release point a distance y before coming to rest.

Experiment 4: A person hangs a spring of known constant k from a rod and then hangs an unknown mass from
the spring. The person pushes the mass down slightly and releases it, allowing the mass to oscillate. The
person uses a stopwatch to time ten full oscillations and then divide by ten to get the period of oscillation T.

*(C) 2023 John Frensley.

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