Harmonic oscillator...

classical
Let us consider a particle of mass m attached to a spring
Equilibrium
x=0,t=0
o
x
Stretch
x=x
o
compress
x=-x
o
x
o
x
o
At the beginning at t = o the particle is at equilibrium,
that is no particle is working at it , F = 0,
Harmonic oscillator...classical
In general F = -k x . The force propotional to
displacement and pointing in opposite direction
o

k is the force constant of the spring

Equilibrium
x=0,F=0
o
x
x
o
x
o
x
o F=-kx
o
x
o
F= kx
o
We might consider as an other example two particles
attached to each side of a spring
r
e
A
B
F= 0
Equilibrium
r = r
e
Case I: Equilibrium
A
B
F= -kx
Stretch
r = r
e
+x
Case II: Stretch
r = r
e
+x
Harmonic oscillator...classical
Harmonic oscillator...classical
r
e
-x
A
B
F= -k(-x)
Equilibrium
r = r
e
Case III: Compress
x
Again we have that the force F is proportional
to the displacement x
and pointing in the opposite direction
F = - k x

Harmonic oscillator...classical
We have from Newtons equation
{mass}x{accelaration} = force
m
d x
dt
x
d x
dt
x
2
o
2
o
2
o
2
o

k or
k
m
The
A
k
m
t B
k
m
t
however o
A
k
m
t
general solution to this is
x
if x at t = o we must
have B = o
x
o
o
o

1
]
1

1
]
1
+

1
]
1

1
]
1

1
]
1

1
]
1
sin cos '
sin
Harmonic oscillator...classical
Let us look at this solution
(a) for or t = o we have x
for or t =
2
x
o
o
k
m
t
b
k
m
t
m
k
A

1
]
1

1
]
1

1
]
1

0 0
2

( )

( )
( )
( )
c
k
m
t
m
k
o
d
k
m
t
m
k
A
e
k
m
t
m
k
o
for or t = x
for
3
or t =
3
x
for or t = 2 x
o
o
o

1
]
1

1
]
1

1
]
1

1
]
1

1
]
1

1
]
1

2 2
2
Equilibrium
x=0,t=0
o
x
Stretch
x=x
o
compress
x=-x
o
x
o
x
o
position x = A sin (
k
m
t )
Harmonic oscillator...classical
A
x
t

2
m
k

m
k
3

2
m
k
2

m
k
-A
A
k
m
v
t

2
m
k

m
k
3

2
m
k
2

m
k
-A
m
k
velocity v =
dx
dt
= A
k
m
cos (
k
m
t )
Harmonic oscillator...classical
A
k
m
v
t

2
m
k

m
k
3

2
m
k
2

m
k
-A
m
k
Force - k x = -A
k
m
sin (
k
m
t )
Harmonic oscillator...classical
Equilibrium
x=0,F=0
o
x
x
o
x
o
x
o F=-kx
o
x
o
F= kx
o
Harmonic oscillator...classical
It
m
k
as
k
m
follows that the time to complete one cycle is
t
a consequence one can complete
=
t
cycles per time unit
cycle
cycle

2
1 1
2

The frequency is often written

as =
2
is referred to as the circular frequency.
We clearly have
=
k
m

where
Harmonic oscillator...classical
We might also look at the kinetic energy
T =
1
2
t
t
t
mv m A
k
m
k
m
T mA
k
m
k
m
T A k
k
m
2
2
2 2
2 2
1
2
1
2
1
2

_
,

1
]
1

_
,

_
,

_
,

cos
cos
cos
t

2
m
k

m
k
3

2
m
k
2

m
k
1
2
A
2
k
T
Harmonic oscillator...classical
What about potential energy
V(x) ??
We always have
F = -
dV( x)
d x


F = -k x = -
dV( x)
d x
dV
d x
d x = V( x) - V(o)
= x d x =
1
2
x
V( x) =
1
2
x
x
x
2
2

Thus
or
k k o
Thus
k
0
0

V(x) = 1/2k
2
x
2
V
x
-A
2
A
2
k
1
>
k
2
E
V(x) = 1/2k
1
x
2
-A
1
A
1
t

2
m
k

m
k
3

2
m
k
2

m
k
1
2
A
2
k
V
V

1
2
A
2
k sin
2
k
m
t



_
,

Harmonic oscillator...classical
E T V A k
k
m
A k
k
m
E A k
We
+

_
,

_
,

1
2
1
2
1
2
2 2 2 2
2
cos cos t t
note total energy independent of t
V(x) = 1/2k
2
x
2
V
x
-A
2
A
2
k
1
>
k
2
E
V(x) = 1/2k
1
x
2
-A
1
A
1
Harmonic oscillator...classical
From
k
m
m
Thus
Note
depends
the relation
=
1
2
k = 4

E = 2 m A
that the amplitude A
A =
2E
k
on E and k. For a
given E the smaller k the
larger A.
Note that the frequency is
independent of A
2
2 2

V(x) = 1/2k
2
x
2
V
x
-A
2
A
2
k
1
>
k
2
E
V(x) = 1/2k
1
x
2
-A
1
A
1