References

David Halliday, Robert Resnick and Jearl Walker,

Fundamentals of Physics, 6th Ed., John Wiley
2001

David Achesons Web site:

http://www.jesus.ox.ac.uk/ dacheson/programs
Topic 9
Multiple Spring Systems

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Multiple Spring Systems 9-2 Multiple Spring Systems 9-3

Multiple Oscillation Modes Doubly Anchored Spring in Series

-  - 
T1 T2

Recall that for a simple spring, the equation of m1

motion was described as simple harmonic and k1 k2
related the position of a mass at the loose end of a -
spring to the force on that mass by the spring. i.e. x1

F = kx(t), or
kx(t)
x(t) + =0 Figure 6: Doubly Anchored Spring in Series
m

and that a solution of the ODE was A displacement of the mass by a distance x results
in the first spring lengthening by a distance x
2 k (and pulling in the x direction), while the second
x = A cos t + B sin t, = , x(0) = 0
m spring is compressed by a distance x (pushing in
p 1 k the x direction). The equation of motion is thus
= C cos(t + D), C= A2 + B 2 , D = tan
m
m1 x(t) = k1x(t) k2x(t) = (k1 + k2)x(t) so that
k1 + k2
x(t) = x(t) and the frequency is (41)
m1
Now imagine a mass attached with springs on both s
sides, with the other side of both springs attached k1 + k2
series = (42)
to walls. m1

The effective spring constant is thus the sum of the

component spring constants, kef f = k1 + k2.

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 Doubly Anchored Spring in Parallel A Double Oscillation Mode Example
-  -  -  - 
T1 T1 T2 T3

k2
m1 m1 m2
k1 k1 k2 k3

- - -
x1 x1 x2

Figure 7: Doubly Anchored Springs in Parallel Figure 8: Double Mass and Spring
Now when we attach two springs from the mass to Now imagine two masses arranged as shown above.
the same wall, we find their forces add at all times. From your experience how would you expect them
The effective spring constant is again the sum of
the component spring constants, and is also the to behave when perturbed from their rest state?
same. The springs will have a natural tension
m1 x(t) = k1x(t) + k2x(t) = (k1 + k2)x(t) so that
k1 + k2 T1 = kx1, T2 = k(x2 x1), T3 = kx3 (45)
x(t) = x(t) and (43)
m1
s whenever the masses are perturbed (assuming
k1 + k2 identical springs, k = k1 = k2 = k3). So at time t,
parallel = (44)
m1 we have

F m1 = T2 T1 = m1x1 = k(x2 2x1) (46)

But how are the above equations affected when
there are two or more masses involved? F m2 = T3 T2 = m2x2 = k(x1 2x2) (47)

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Multiple Spring Systems 9-6 Multiple Spring Systems 9-7

Now if we consider Y1 = x2 2x1 and Y2 = x1

2x2 as a different way of describing position, and
Even with SHM, such modal behaviour can quickly
substitute this into the above equation and m =
become very complicated - indeed chaotic.
m1 = m2, we have something that looks like SHM.
These two solutions are said to be oscillation modes
Since two views are possible, one for each mass,
of the system and such modal behaviour is common
this system is said to have two degrees of freedom,
in situations where many elements are interacting.
and in this case has up to two Eigen-solutions.
Note however, that the two modes occur given the
Since the system model looks like SHM, lets try the corresponding initial conditions stated above. The more general
solutions. case is really a mixture of the two modes such that
x1 = A cos t, x1 = A 2 cos t
x2 = B cos t,
2
x2 = B cos t mA + nB = 0, m, n I
so that
k
x1 = (x2 2x1 )
m The above equations can also be applied to a
k double pendulum when the swing amplitudes are
= (B 2A) cos t = A 2 cos t
m
low (sin )
k 2
x2 = (A 2B) cos t = B cos t e Pivot pts e
m C C
C C
C C
C C
C~- C~-
We can solve for 2 C
C 

C 
k(A 2B) k(B 2A) C 
2 C~ -  
~
= =
mB mA A=B A = B
k
= , when A = B, vibrating in-sync (48)
m Figure 9: Two modes for Double Pendulums
3k
= , when A = B, vibrating anti-sync (49)
m

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