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Simple Harmonic Motion Any motion which replaces it after regular interval of time is called periodic or harmonic motion. When the body of a pendulum moves to and fro through a short angle, the bob is called move simple harmonically. Current can be considered simple harmonic due to simple harmonic vibrations of electric and magnetic forces. In part of periodic motion, force is always directed towards a fixed point which may or may not be on the way of motion. Simple harmonic motion is closely associated with circular rotation. An example is shown below. This explains an arrangement used to convert circular motion of a stone D into the to and fro or simple harmonic motion of a point P.

O Y Y sine time curve axis, t

y 45 360 90 180 225 270 315 135

o o

If a particle in periodic motion moves back and forth (or to and fro) over the similar path, then its motion is known as vibratory or oscillatory. The examples of vibratory or oscillatory motion are: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The motion of a pendulum. The motion of a spring fixed at one side, which is compressed or stretched and then released. The motion of a violin string. The motion of atoms in molecules or in a solid lattice. The motion of air molecules as sound wave passes by.

Important points regarding SHM: 1. 2. Particle moves in straight line and the motion is periodic The acceleration of particle is always proportional to the displacement from the equilibrium position and always directed towards a fixed point.

3. 4. 5. 6.

The work of the force is to bring particle in its equilibrium position and generally it is called restoring force. In case of simple harmonic motion, the time period is independent of amplitude. The necessary and sufficient condition for a motion to be simple harmonic is that the restoring force must be linear. Every motion can be resolved into a number of simple harmonic motion with the help of Fourier analysis .i.e. any number of simple harmonic motion can be combined to give the resultant motion.

Conditions of Simple Harmonic Motion For SHM to occur, three conditions must be satisfied. 1. There must be a position of stable equilibrium. At the equation in equilibrium potential energy is minimized. That is, 2. 3.
dU d2U 0 and 0 dx dx 2

There must be no dissipation of energy. The acceleration is proportional to the displacement and opposite in direction. That is, a 2 x

SHM and g: If a small coin is placed on a horizontal platform connected to a vibrator and the amplitude is kept constant as the frequency is increased from zero, the face will be heard chattering at a particular frequency fo. At this stage the reaction of the platform with the coin becomes zero at some part of every turn, so that it replaces contact periodically with the surface. The maximum acceleration in SHM occurs at the end of the oscillation because the acceleration is directly proportional to the displacement. This maximum acceleration is 2r, where r is the amplitude and is 2fo. The coin will lose contact with the surface when it is moving down with acceleration g. TYPES OF MOTION (i) PERIODIC MOTION: When a body or a moving particle repeats its motion along a definite path after regular parts of time, its rotation is said to be Periodic Motion and interval of time is called periodic time or harmonic motion period (T). The path of periodic motion can be simple, circular, elliptical or any other curve. (ii) OSCILLATORY MOTION: 'To and Fro' type of motion is called an Oscillatory Motion. It required not be periodic and required not have fixed extreme positions.

The force/torque acting in oscillatory motion (directed towards equilibrium point) is called restoring force/torque. (iii) EQUATION OF SIMPLE HARMONIC MOTION (SHM): The necessary and sufficient condition for a SHM F = kx where k = Force constant for a SHM, x = displacement from mean position. or
m d2 x kx dt 2

d2 x k x0 dt 2 m

d2 x 2 x 0 dt 2

where

k m

It's solution is x A sin t With the change of time t, sin(t + ) varies between 1 and 1 and corresponding displacement x varies between A and A. Thus the range of vibration is 2A. The term ( t + ) represents phase of the particle at any instant t. Here is angular velocity i.e. the rate of change of phase angle of the particle with time and is called phase constant or initial phase, the value of depends upon initial conditions. If the time is recorded from the instant when x is zero and with increase in t, x is increasing then x = A sint CHARACTERISTICS OF SHM (i) Amplitude: It is the largest value of distance of the particle from its equilibrium position. (ii) Time period (T): Smallest time interval after which the oscillatory motion gets repeated is called Time period. (iii) Frequency (f): Number of oscillations completed in unit time interval is called frequency of oscillations,
f 1 . Its units is sec 1 or Hz. T 2

(iv) Angular Frequency (): The quantity is called the angular frequency of the oscillating object. As we see that second order differential equation of simple harmonic motion is
d2 x k is called angular frequency and its units is rad/sec. 2 x 0, where 2 m dt

(v) Phase: The physical quantity which represents the state of motion of particle [eg. its position and direction of motion (orientation)] at any instant of time is called phase of that physical quantity. In the solution of second order differential equation of SHM, is called phase of the motion.

(vi) Displacement (x) : If time is measured from the equilibrium phase, distance x from equilibrium point at any instant of time t is given by x = Asint (vii) Velocity (v): v = or (a)
dx d (A sint) = A cost dt dt

v = A 1 sin2 t = A 2 x 2

Velocity is minimum at extreme positions and is zero. At x = A, v = vmin = zero.

(b)

Velocity is maximum at the equilibrium position and is A. At x = 0, v = vmax = A

(c)

Direction of speed is either towards or away from the equilibrium position.

dv d2 x = -2A sint = -2x dt dt 2

(viii) Acceleration (a) = (a) (b) (c)

The lowest value of acceleration is zero and it occurs at equilibrium. The maximum value of acceleration is 2A and it occurs at extreme positions. Acceleration is usually directed towards the equilibrium position and so it is always opposite to the direction of the displacement.

ENERGY OF A BODY IN S.H.M. In general the total energy of a harmonic oscillator consists of two parts, potential energy (P.E) and kinetic energy (K.E.), the former being due to its displacement from the mean position and latter due to its velocity. Since the position and velocity of the harmonic oscillator are continuously changing, P.E. and K.E. also change but their sum i.e., the total energy (T.E) must have the same value at all times.

(i) Potential Energy: The simple restoring force acting on the harmonic oscillator is given by F=m
d2 x = kx dt 2

Now if the oscillator is displaced through a further displacement dx opposite the force, work done in displacing the object is given by dW = k dx Hence the net work done in displacing the object from mean position (x=0) to (x=x) is given by W=

1 kx dx kx2 2

By convention, P.E. at the mean position is given as zero. Hence, above relation gives the magnitude of P.E. of harmonic oscillator at a distance x from the mean position i.e., U=
1 2 1 kx m 2 x2 2 2

. . . (i)

This shows the P.E. is proportional to the square of the displacement and graph showing the variation of potential energy with the displacement will be a parabola given by continuous lines in the figure. P.E. is maximum at maximum distance and is given by Umax =
1 m 2 A 2 2

(ii) Kinetic Energy: Speed of harmonic oscillator is given by equation as v=

dx = A 2 x2 dt

Hence kinetic power of the oscillator is provided by K.E. =

1 2 1 mv m2 A 2 x2 2 2

. . . (ii)

The graph showing the variation of K.E. with x is shown in figure by dotted lines.
energy

T.E PE

The kinetic energy is biggest when x = 0. Thus

1 K.E.max = m2 A 2 2
KE

+A

Now net energy E of the oscillator for distance x is given by

E = P.E. + K.E. =

1 1 1 m2 x2 m2 A 2 x2 = m2 A 2 = constant 2 2 2

(iii)

Thus total energy is independent of the distance. It has constant throughout the motion of the oscillator. Also the net energy is same to maximum value of either K.E. or P.E. (iii) Average Value of P.E. and K.E.: By equation (i) P.E. at distance x is given by U=
1 1 m 2 x2 m 2 A 2 sin2 t 2 2

The average value of P.E. for one complete oscillation is given by

Uaverage
T T T 1 1 1 m 2 A 2 2 2 2 dt = Udt m A sin t 2 sin2 t dt = m2 A2 4 T T 2 4T 0 0 0

Because the average magnitude of sine or of cosine function for the complete cycle is equal to zero.

Now K.E. at x is given by

K.E.

1 1 dx 1 d m m A sin t = m 2 A 2 cos2 t 2 dt 2 dt 2

The average value of K.E. for one complete cycle KEaverage =

1 1 m 2 A 2 2 2 2 = m A cos t dt T 2 4T 0
T

1 cos 2 t dt =
0

m 2A2 1 .T m 2 A 2 4T 4

Thus average values of P.E. and K.E. of harmonic oscillator are equal and each is equal to one fourth of the total energy.