Applications of simple harmonic motion

Prior Knowledge Concepts Covered Making the Links.

Oscillators Mass –spring system Link to Hooke’s law,

Restoring force Simple pendulum F=ma

Targets:
• State the conditions that must be satisfied for a mass-spring system or
a simple pendulum to oscillate with SHM
• Describe how the period of a mass-spring system depends on the mass
and the period of a simple pendulum depends on its length.

Directed Study:
DUE:
Starter
1. What is the phase difference between two points 0.16 m apart on a
progressive sound wave of frequency 256 Hz?
2. Explain what is meant by a progressive wave.
3. Give one similarity and one difference between stationary and
progressive waves.
4. Give the differences seen when doing Young’s double slit
experiment with green light compared to red light.
5. If two wave are in constant phase with each other, what is their
path difference?
The simple pendulum
• To derive the time period consider
a simple pendulum with a mass m
and attached to a string with
length L is suspended from a fixed
point O with an angle θ to the
vertical.
• What forces are acting on the
pendulum?
• Tension
• Weight
The simple pendulum
• What is the restoring force in this
situation?
• Component of weight

• Which component of weight?

• -mgsinθ
The simple pendulum

• So,
The simple pendulum

A simple pendulum will only undergo

SHM when θ < 10°, and when θ is small:

Where, L = length of pendulum and s=

arclength
The simple pendulum
• Therefore,

We know that, and so,

At small angles, so,

The simple pendulum
and

So,
The simple pendulum
Simplified,
Task-Virtual pendulum
• Room 41