SHM-1

Simple Harmonic Motion

A pendulum, a mass on a spring, and many other kinds of oscillators exhibit a special
kind of oscillatory motion called Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM)
SHM occurs !hene"er #
i there is a restoring force proportional to the displacement from e$uilibrium# % x
ii the potential energy is proportional to the s$uare of the displacement# &' x
(
iii the period ) or fre$uency f * 1 + ) is independent of the amplitude of the motion
i" the position x, the "elocity v, and the acceleration a are all sinusoidal in time
(Sinusoidal means sine, cosine, or anything in bet!een)
As !e !ill see, any one of these four properties guarantees the other three ,f one of
these - things is true, then the oscillator is a simple harmonic oscillator and all - things
must be true
.ot e"ery kind of oscillation is SHM %or instance, a perfectly elastic ball bouncing up
and do!n on a floor# the ball/s position (height) is oscillating up and do!n, but none of
the - conditions abo"e is satisfied, so this is not an example of SHM
A mass on a spring is the simplest kind of Simple Harmonic 0scillator
Hooke/s 1a!# Fspring * 2 k x
(2) sign because direction of Fspring is
opposite to the direction of displacement
"ector x (bold font indicates "ector)
k * spring constant * stiffness,
units 3k4 * . + m
5ig k * stiff spring
6efinition# amplitude A * 7xmax7
* 7xmin7
8+(1+(91- : ;ni"ersity of <olorado at 5oulder
x
t
"
t
x
relaxed# x * 9
m
x
%
restore
%
restore
x

k
x
m
=A 2A
9
SHM-(
Mass oscillates bet!een extreme positions x * =A and x * 2A
8+(1+(91- : ;ni"ersity of <olorado at 5oulder
SHM->
.otice that Hooke/s 1a! (% * kx) is condition i # restoring force proportional to the
displacement from e$uilibrium ?e sho!ed pre"iously (?ork and 'nergy <hapter) that
for a spring obeying Hooke/s 1a!, the potential energy is ; * (1+()kx
(
, !hich is
condition ii Also, in the chapter on <onser"ation of 'nergy, !e sho!ed that % * d;+dx,
from !hich it follo!s that condition ii implies condition i )hus, Hooke/s 1a! and
$uadratic &' (; x
(
) are e$ui"alent
?e no! sho! that Hooke/s 1a! guarantees conditions iii (period independent of
amplitude) and i" (sinusoidal motion)
?e begin by deri"ing the differential equation for SHM A differential e$uation is simply
an e$uation containing a deri"ati"e Since the motion is 16, !e can drop the "ector
arro!s and use sign to indicate direction
net net
(
( (
(
% ma and % k x ma k x
d x k
a d" + dt d x + dt x
d t m
= = =
= = =
)he constants k and m and both positi"e, so the k+m is al!ays positi"e, al!ays %or
notational con"enience, !e !rite
(
k + m = ()he s$uare on the reminds us that
(
is
al!ays positi"e) )he differential e$uation becomes
(
(
(
d x
x
d t
= (e$uation of SHM)
)his is the differential equation for SHM ?e seek a solution x * x(t) to this e$uation, a
function x * x(t) !hose second time deri"ati"e is the function x(t) multiplied by a
negati"e constant (
(
* k+m) )he !ay you sol"e differential e$uations is the same
!ay you sol"e integrals# you guess the solution and then check that the solution !orks
5ased on obser"ation, !e guess a sinusoidal solution# ( ) x(t) Acos t = + ,
!here A, are any constants and (as !e/ll sho!)
k
m
=
A * amplitude# x oscillates bet!een =A and 2A
* phase constant (more on this later)
6anger# t and ha"e units of radians (not degrees) So set your calculators to radians
!hen using this formula
@ust as !ith circular motion, the angular fre$uency for SHM is related to the period by
(
( f
)

= = , ) * period
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SHM--
(?hat does SHM ha"e to do !ith circular motionA ?e/ll see later)
1et/s check that ( ) x(t) Acos t = +
is a solution of the SHM e$uation
)aking the first deri"ati"e dx+dt , !e get ( )
dx
"(t) A sin t
dt
= = +
Here, !e/"e used the <hain Bule#
( )
d dcos( ) d
cos t , ( t )
dt d d t
sin sin( t )

+ = = +

= = +
)aking a second deri"ati"e, !e get
( ) ( )
[ ]
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
d x d" d
a(t) A sin t A cos( t )
dt dt dt
d x
Acos( t )
dt
d x
x
dt
= = = + = +
= +
=
)his is the SHM e$uation, !ith
(
k k
,
m m
= =
?e ha"e sho!n that our assumed solution is indeed a solution of the SHM e$uation (,
lea"e to the mathematicians to sho! that this solution is uni$ue &hysicists seldom !orry
about that kind of thing, since !e kno! that nature usually pro"ides only one solution for
physical systems, such as masses on springs)
?e ha"e also sho!n condition i"# x, ", and a are all sinusoidal functions of time#
( )
(
x(t) Acos t
"(t) A sin( t )
a(t) A cos( t )
= +
= +
= +
)he period ) is gi"en by
k ( m
) (
m ) k

= = = ?e see that ) does not

depend on the amplitude A (condition iii)
1et/s first try to make sense of k + m = # big means small ) !hich means rapid
oscillations According to the formula, !e get a big !hen k is big and m is small )his
makes sense# a big k (stiff spring) and a small mass m !ill indeed produce "ery rapid
oscillations and a big
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SHM-C
A closer look at x(t) = A cos(t+)
1et/s re"ie! the sine and cosine functions and their relation to the unit circle ?e often
define the sine and cosine functions this !ay#
adD
cos
hyp
=
opp
sin
hyp
=
)his !ay of defining sine and cosine is correct but incomplete ,t is hard to see from this
definition ho! to get the sine or cosine of an angle greater than E9
o

A more complete !ay of defining sine and cosine,

a !ay that gi"es the "alue of the sine and cosine
for any angle, is this# 6ra! a unit circle (a circle
of radius r * 1) centered on the origin of the x-y
axes as sho!n#
6efine sine and cosine as
adD x
cos x
hyp 1
= = =
opp y
sin y
hyp 1
= = =
)his !ay of defining sin and cos allo!s us to compute the sin or cos of any angle at all
%or instance, suppose the angle is * (19
o
)hen the
diagram looks like this#
)he point on the unit circle is in the third $uadrant, !here
both x and y are negati"e So both cos * x and
sin * y are negati"e
%or any angle , e"en angles bigger than >F9
o
(more than once around the circle), !e can
al!ays compute sin and cos ?hen !e plot sin and cos "s angle , !e get functions that
oscillate bet!een =1 and 21 like so#
8+(1+(91- : ;ni"ersity of <olorado at 5oulder

opposite
adDacent
hypotenuse
x
y

r *
1
point (x, y)
x
y

1
point (x, y)
SHM-F
?e !ill almost al!ays measure angle in radians 0nce around the circle is ( radians,
so sine and cosine functions are periodic and repeat e"ery time increases by ( rad
)he sine and cosine functions ha"e exactly the same shape, except that sin is shifted to
the right compared to cos by = /2 5oth these functions are called sinusoidal
functions
)he function cos( + ) can be made to be anything in bet!een cos() and sin() by
adDusting the siGe of the phase bet!een 9 and (
( ) cos , ( 9) sin cos , + (
(

= = =


)he function cos(t = ) oscillates bet!een =1 and 1, so the function Acos(t = )
oscillates bet!een =A and A
8+(1+(91- : ;ni"ersity of <olorado at 5oulder
cos

sin

* >F9
9
* ( rad
=1
21
* (
21
=1
cos

sin
* /2
=1
21
=t
Acos (t)
=A
2A
=2
SHM-H
?hy
(
)

= A )he function f() * cos is periodic !ith period = 2 Since

=t+, and is some constant, !e ha"e = t 0ne complete cycle of the cosine
function corresponds to = 2 and t * ), () is the period) So !e ha"e ( * ) or
(
)

= Here is another !ay to see it#

t
cos( t) cos (
)

=


is periodic !ith period t
* ) )o see this, notice that !hen t increases by ), the fraction t+) increases by 1 and the
fraction (t+) increases by (
.o! back to simple harmonic motion ,nstead of a circle of radius 1, !e ha"e a circle of
radius A (!here A is the amplitude of the Simple Harmonic Motion)
SHM and Conservation of Energ!
Becall &'elastic * (1+() k x
(
* !ork done to compress or stretch a spring by distance x
,f there is no friction, then the total energy 'tot * I' = &' * constant during oscillation
)he "alue of 'tot depends on initial conditions 2 !here the mass is and ho! fast it is
mo"ing initially 5ut once the mass is set in motion, 'tot stays constant (assuming no
dissipation)
At any position x, speed " is such that
( (
1 1
tot ( (
m " k x ' + =
?hen 7x7 * A, then " * 9, and all the energy is &'#
{ {
(
tot
9
(1+ ()kA
I' &' ' + =

So total energy
(
1
tot (
' k A =
8+(1+(91- : ;ni"ersity of <olorado at 5oulder
t
Acos (t)
=A
2A
t * )
t
Acos (t)
=A
2A
(t) * (
SHM-8
?hen x * 9, " * "max, and all the energy is I'#
{ {
(
max
tot
9
(1+ ()m"
I' &' ' + =
So, total energy
(
1
tot max (
' m" =
So, !e can relate "max to amplitude A # &'max * I'max * 'tot
( (
1 1
max ( (
k A m" =
max
k
" A
m
=
Example "roblem! A mass m on a spring !ith spring constant k is oscillating !ith
amplitude A 6eri"e a general formula for the speed " of the mass !hen its position is x
Ans!er#
(
k x
"(x) A 1
m A

=


5e sure you understand these
things#
8+(1+(91- : ;ni"ersity of <olorado at 5oulder
x
y
'
tot
*
I' = &'
(1+()kx
(
&'

=A
A
I'
range of motion
7x7 * A
" * 9
&' * max
I' * min
7%7 * max
7a7 * max
x * 9
7"7 * max
&' * min
I' * max
7%7 * 9
7a7 * 9
SHM-E
8+(1+(91- : ;ni"ersity of <olorado at 5oulder
SHM-19
"end#l#m Motion
A simple pendulum consists of a small mass m suspended at the end of a massless string
of length 1 A pendulum executes SHM, if the amplitude is not too large
)he restoring force is the component of the force along the direction of motion#
x
restoring force * mgsin mg mg
1
=
<laim#
sin (rads)
!hen is small
h
sin
1
=
s
B
=
,f small, then h s, and 1 B,
so sin
)ry it on your calculator# * C
o
*
998H(FF rad, sin * 998H1CF
restore
mg
% x
1

=


is exactly like Hooke/s 1a!
restore
% k x =
, except !e ha"e
replaced the constant k !ith another constant (mg + 1) )he math is exactly the same as
!ith a mass on a springJ all results are the same, except !e replace k !ith (mg+1)
8+(1+(91- : ;ni"ersity of <olorado at 5oulder
1
x

= x + 1 (rads)
%orces on mass #

%
)
* tension
mg
mg cos
mg sin
y
x
B

1
s
h
SHM-11
( )
spring pend
m m 1
) ( ) ( (
k mg + 1 g
= = =
.otice that the period is independent of the amplitudeJ the period depends only on length
1 and acceleration of gra"ity (5ut this is true only if is not too large)
8+(1+(91- : ;ni"ersity of <olorado at 5oulder
SHM-1(
Appendix# SHM and circ#lar motion
)here is an exact analogy bet!een SHM and circular motion <onsider a particle mo"ing
!ith constant speed " around the rim of a circle of radius A
)he x-component of the position of the particle has exactly the same mathematical form
as the motion of a mass on a spring executing SHM !ith amplitude A
angular "elocity
d
const
d t

= =

t =
so
x A cos A cos t = =
)his same formula also describes the sinusoidal motion
of a mass on a spring
)hat the same formula applies for t!o different situations (mass on a spring K circular
motion) is no accident )he t!o situations ha"e the same solution because they both
obey the same e$uation As %eynman said, L)he same e$uations ha"e the same
solutionsL )he e$uation of SHM is
(
(
(
d x
x
d t
=
?e no! sho! that a particle in
circular motion obeys this same SHM e$uation
Becall that for circular motion !ith angular speed , the acceleration of a the particle is
to!ard the center and has magnitude
(
"
7 a 7
B
=
v
Since " * B , !e can re!rite this as
( )
(
(
B
7 a 7 B
B

= =
v
1et/s set the origin at the center of
the circle so the position "ector $
is along the radius .otice that the
acceleration "ector a is al!ays in
the direction opposite the position
"ector $ Since
(
7 a 7 B =
v
v
,
the "ectors a and $ are related by
(
a B =
v
v
)he x-component of
this "ector e$uation is#
(
x x
a B = ,f !e !rite Bx * x , then !e ha"e
(
(
(
d x
x
d t
=
, !hich is the SHM e$uation 6one
8+(1+(91- : ;ni"ersity of <olorado at 5oulder
A
=A 2A
9
"

x
a
=A 2A
9
v
t
x
$