Section 3.

8 - Rimmer

Section 3.8 - Rimmer

Spring / Mass Systems

flexible spring suspended vertically from a rigid suppport

mass (m ) attached to its free end, amount of stretch or elongation (s ) depends on the mass
Hooke' s Law : spring exerts a restoring force (F ) opposite to the direction of elongation and proportional to the amount of elongation (s ) F = ks k is called the spring constant

weight (W = mg ) is balanced by the restoring force ks at equilibrium position mg = ks.

if the mass is displaced from its equilibrium position by an amount x, the resoring force of the spring becomes k (x + s )

negative is up positive is down

Newton' s 2nd Law : assuming free motion

(no damping force)

m d 2x = k (s + x ) + mg dt 2

d 2x = kx dt 2

Section 3.8 - Rimmer

mx + kx = 0

k let 2 = m

x + 2 x = 0
Homog. 2nd order constant coeff.
let x = e rt x = r 2e rt

Initial conditions : x(0) = x0 initial position x(0 ) = x1 initial velocity

plugging into the o.d.e. e rt r 2 + 2 = 0

Solution

r = i (complex roots )
solve for c1 and c2 using the initial conditions

x(t ) = c1 cos(t ) + c2 sin (t )

period T = 2

and frequency f =

1 = T 2
Alternative solution form

let A = c1 + c2 and tan =

amplitude A

phase angle

c1 c2

x(t ) = A sin (t + )

Section 3.8 - Rimmer

A mass weighing 24 pounds, attached to the end of a spring, stretches it 4 inches. Initially, the mass is released from rest from a point 3 inches above equilibrium position. Find the equation of motion.
W = 24 lbs. when weight is in pounds, we use slugs to measure mass and for g we use 32 ft/s 2 . W = mg m = W 24 3 = = slugs g 32 4

s = 4 in. , but since we are using ft., we need to convert s = 1 ft. 3

F = ks mg = ks or W = ks k =

mx + kx = 0 3 x + 72 x = 0 x + 96 x = 0 4
x ( t ) = c1 cos 4 6t + c2 sin 4 6t
the mass is released from rest :

W = 72 s = 96 = 4 6

x ( t ) = 4 6c1 sin 4 6t + 4 6c2 cos 4 6t

x ( 0 ) = 0 c2 = 0

x ( t ) = c1 cos 4 6t
1 4

from a point 3 inches above equilibrium position :

x ( 0) = 1 4 c1 =

x (t ) =

1 4

cos 4 6t

Section 3.8 - Rimmer

mx = kx x
Damping force proportional to the instantaneous velocity negative since this force acts in a direction opposite to the motion

Section 3.8 - Rimmer

k x + x + x = 0 m m
k Let 2 = , and 2 = m m

A)

> 0 overdamped (real distinct roots )

x (t ) = e t c1e

2 2 t

+ c2 e

2 2 t

B)

2 2 = 0 critically damped (double root )

x (t ) = e t (c1 + c2t )

x + 2x + 2 x = 0
r= 2 42 4 2 2

2 2 C) < 0 underdamped

(imaginary roots )

r = 2 2

Based on the sign of 2 2 ,

x (t ) = e t c1 cos 2 2 t + c2 sin 2 2 t
critically damped

))

we have 3 types of solutions : overdamped

underdamped

Section 3.8 - Rimmer

A force of 2 pounds stretches a spring 1 foot. A mass weighing 3.2 pounds is attached to the end of the spring and the system is immersed in a medium that offers a damping force equal to 0.4 times the instantaneous velocity. Find the equation of motion initially, the mass is released from rest from a point 1 ft. above the equilibrium position.

F = ks 2 = k

W = mg 3.2 = 32m m = 0.1 slugs

= 0.4

mx + x + kx = 0
x + 4 x + 20 x = 0
2 = 4, and 2 = 20

0.1x + 0.4 x + 2 x = 0
r = 2 2 r = 2 4 20

r = 2 4i

x (t ) = e t c1 cos 2 2 t + c2 sin 2 2 t
x ( t ) = e 2t ( c1 cos ( 4 t ) + c2 sin ( 4 t ) )

))

Section 3.8 - Rimmer

x (t ) = e

2 t

( c cos ( 4 t ) + c
1

sin ( 4 t ) )

x ( t ) = e 2t ( ( 2c1 + 4c2 ) cos ( 4 t ) + ( 4c1 2c2 ) sin ( 4 t ) )

the mass is released from rest :

x ( 0 ) = 0
x ( 0 ) = 1

from a point 1 ft above equil.:

x ( 0 ) = c1 c1 = 1

x ( 0 ) = 2c1 + 4c2 = 2 + 4c2 c2 =

1 2

x ( t ) = e 2t ( cos ( 4 t ) 1 2 sin ( 4 t ) )

Section 3.8 - Rimmer

x ( t ) = e 2t ( cos ( 4 t ) 1 2 sin ( 4 t ) )