Applied Physic Lab Simple Harmonic Motion EE-15-B

Institute of Space
Technology
Applied Physics Lab
Topic: Simple Harmonic Motion
Submitted to:
Ma’am Khola Anees

Submitted by:
Group Members

Haider Ali

Maaz Ahmed Butt

Wajahat Ali

Mehtab Ahmed
Muhammad Tahir Tayyab
Muhammad Abu Bakar Aamir

BE – Electrical Engineering (Semester 1)

Batch 15 – Section: B

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Applied Physic Lab Simple Harmonic Motion EE-15-B

Dated: 9-Jan-2017

Table of Contents
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................4
Learning Outcomes................................................................................................................................4
Experimental Objectives........................................................................................................................5
Key Words.............................................................................................................................................5
Simple Harmonic Harmonicon...........................................................................................................5
Mathematically:.............................................................................................................................5
Explanation of SHM:......................................................................................................................5
Free oscillations and Damped oscillations.........................................................................................6
(a) Free oscillations.....................................................................................................................6
Addition of free simple harmonic motions....................................................................................6
(b) Damped oscillations...............................................................................................................8
Amplitude:.............................................................................................................................................9
Explanation:.......................................................................................................................................9
Damping:.............................................................................................................................................10
Explanation:.....................................................................................................................................10
Acceleration:........................................................................................................................................10
Explanation:.....................................................................................................................................11
Constant Acceleration:........................................................................................................................11
Angular frequency:..............................................................................................................................11
Explanation:.....................................................................................................................................11
Mathematically:...............................................................................................................................11
Apparatus............................................................................................................................................12
Procedure............................................................................................................................................12
Part 1...............................................................................................................................................12
Part 2...............................................................................................................................................12
Calculations.........................................................................................................................................14
Part 2...............................................................................................................................................14
Analysis................................................................................................................................................15
Graphical Analysis................................................................................................................................15
Part 2...................................................................................................................................................16
Matlab Code....................................................................................................................................16
Used Matlab Functions........................................................................................................................17

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Applied Physic Lab Simple Harmonic Motion EE-15-B

webcam.m.......................................................................................................................................17
imageprocess.m...............................................................................................................................17
masscenter.m..................................................................................................................................17
savedata.m......................................................................................................................................17
harmonic.m.....................................................................................................................................17
Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................19
Part 1...............................................................................................................................................19
Part 2...............................................................................................................................................19
Percentage Error..............................................................................................................................19
Experiment Questions.........................................................................................................................19
References...........................................................................................................................................23

Introduction

particle which oscillates backward and forward in a straight line about a central point is said
to be moving with Simple Harmonic Motion or we can say that to and fro motion of a body
about a point. This can also be explained by this simple curve:

When an object is in simple harmonic motion, the rate at which it oscillates back and forth as
well as its position with respect to time can be easily determined. In this lab, you will analyze
a spring-mass system, which exhibit simple harmonic motion. We will determine the effect of
amplitude on period of oscillation and find the spring constant of a spring. Time period of a
mass spring system can be given as:

Spring constant of the mass spring system can be given as:

F = –k*x

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Applied Physic Lab Simple Harmonic Motion EE-15-B

The minus sign shows that this force is in the opposite direction of the force that’s stretching
or compressing the spring. (K is called the spring constant, which measures how stiff and
strong the spring is. x is the distance the spring is stretched or compressed away from its
equilibrium or rest position.)

Learning Outcomes
In this experiment, we will
1. understand simple harmonic motion and its damping under various conditions;
2. start making simple measurements of lengths and understand the parallax error;
3. understand how errors propagate from an observed to an inferred quantity;
4. identify dimensions and units for simple physical quantities and transform between
physical and logical coordinates;
5. fit experimentally observed curves with mathematically modeled solutions;
6. perform simple image processing and computational tasks on the personal computer;
and last,
7. Understand the formation and display of color on TV and computer screens.

Experimental Objectives
Stand against a light source. Tie a tennis ball to a string and whirl it over your head in a
horizontal circle. Observe the shadow on the wall that is opposite to the light source. You will
see linear motion of the shadow which is slowest on the edges (where it turns around) and
fastest in the center. This behavior, slowing down when moving away from the center and
speeding up when approaching the center, is the signature of simple harmonic motion (SHM).

Key Words
Simple Harmonic Harmonicon

The type of motion in which restoring force is directly proportional to the negative of
acceleration is called simple harmonic motion (SHM)

Mathematically:

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Applied Physic Lab Simple Harmonic Motion EE-15-B

Explanation of SHM:
A specific example of a simple harmonic oscillator is the vibration of a mass attached to a
vertical spring, the other end of which is fixed in a ceiling. At the maximum displacement
−x, the spring is under its greatest tension, which forces the mass upward. At the maximum
displacement +x, the spring reaches its greatest compression, which forces the mass back
downward again. At either position of maximum displacement, the force is greatest and is
directed toward the equilibrium position, the velocity (v) of the mass is zero, its acceleration
is at a maximum, and the mass changes direction. At the equilibrium position, the velocity is

at its maximum and the acceleration (a) has fallen to zero. Simple harmonic motion is
characterized by this changing acceleration that always is directed toward the equilibrium
position and is proportional to the displacement from the equilibrium position. Furthermore,
the interval of time for each complete vibration is constant and does not depend on the size of
the maximum displacement. In some form, therefore, simple harmonic motion is at the heart
of timekeeping.

Why it is called so? The motion is called harmonic because musical instruments make such
vibrations that in turn cause corresponding sound waves in air. Musical sounds are actually a
combination of many simple harmonic waves corresponding to the many ways in which the
vibrating parts of a musical instrument oscillate in sets of superimposed simple harmonic
motions, the frequencies of which are multiples of a lowest fundamental frequency. In fact,
any regularly repetitive motion and any wave, no matter how complicated its form, can be
treated as the sum of a series of simple harmonic motions or waves, a discovery first
published in 1822 by the French mathematician Baron Jean Baptiste – Joseph Fourier.

Free oscillations and Damped oscillations

There are three main types of simple harmonic motion:
(a) Free oscillations – simple harmonic motion with a constant amplitude and period and no
external influences

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Applied Physic Lab Simple Harmonic Motion EE-15-B

(b) Damped oscillations – simple harmonic motion but with a decreasing

Figure
amplitude and varying period due to external or internal damping forces

(c) Forced oscillations – simple harmonic motion but driven externally

(a) Free oscillations

The amplitude remains constant as time passes, there is no damping. This type
of oscillation will only occur in theory since in practice there will always be
some damping. The displacement will follow the formula x = r sin t where r
is the amplitude.

Addition of free simple harmonic motions

It is interesting to look at the superposition of two simple harmonic motions,
such as a pendulum that is set swinging and then pushed sideways at an

angle to its original motion. However to see the motion clearly it is best done on the
oscilloscope or using a computer. You can also show this motion quite easily by using a can
with a hole in the bottom and full of sand as the pendulum “bob”. As the can swings they
sand dribbles out tracing a pattern of the motion on the floor below.

(i) If two simple harmonic motions act along the same direction with the same frequency,
then their resultant is a simple harmonic motion with the same frequency along that line. The
amplitude will be constant but will depend on the phase difference between the two simple
harmonic motions. For example if the driving forces were  out of step there would be no
motion at all. A phase difference of  means that one driving force would be trying to move
the object in one direction while the other would be trying to move it in exactly the opposite
direction – they would cancel and so the net result would be no motion.

(ii) If their frequencies are different but they still act along the same line then beats will be
produced, the variation in amplitude depending on the difference in frequency. You will be
able to find out about beats in more detail in the section on wave motion. Simply, they give
rise to the warbling sound that you get if two instruments that are slightly out of tune
compared to each other are played together. The closer the two frequencies come the smaller
is the beat frequency and when they are exactly in tune the beat frequency is zero and the
effect disappears.

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Applied Physic Lab Simple Harmonic Motion EE-15-B

Figure 2

fy:fx = 3:2 fy:fx = 3:1 fy:fx = 2:1

(b) Damped oscillations

These are oscillations where energy is taken from the system and so the amplitude decays.
They may be of two types:

1. Natural damping, examples of which are:

Internal forces in a spring,

Fluids exert a viscous drag.

2. Artificial damping, examples of which are:

Electromagnetic damping in galvanometers, the coating of panels in cars to reduce vibrations,

shock absorbers in cars, interference damping - gun mountings on ships.

Artificial damping can be light, in which case the system oscillates about the midpoint
(Figure 3(a)), heavy, in which the system takes a long time to reach equilibrium (Figure 3(b))
or critical, where the system reaches equilibrium in a short time compared with T with no
overshoot where T is the natural period of vibration of the system (Figure 3(c)).

Light damping

Displaceme Displaceme
Displacement

nt nt

Time
damping
Figure

Critical

damping
3(c)

Heavy
Figure
3(b)
me
Ti

7
me
Ti

Figure 3(a)
Applied Physic Lab Simple Harmonic Motion EE-15-B

A good example of damping can be seen in the moving coil galvanometer. Electromagnetic
damping is used here: the coil moves in a magnetic field and the current flowing in it can be
shorted with a resistor, thus varying the damping. The system is either

1. Dead beat — that is, critically damped, or

2. Ballistic — the damping is as small as possible.

With reasonably light damping the period is unchanged but as the damping is increased the
time period is increased and the oscillations die away more rapidly.

Damping is also important in a weighing machine (balance) such as in a shop or a checkout at

a supermarket where a true reading of the mass of an object placed on the scale pan is needed
quickly. If the damping was light and the pan oscillated you could clearly get a bargain by
choosing to pay when the reading was low. If the damping was heavy you would obviously
have to wait a long time before the true reading was reached. Some possible variations of
reading (displacement from the final correct reading) are shown above.

Amplitude:
It is measured in the amount of force applied over an area. The most common unit of
measurement of force applied to an area for acoustic study is the Newton’s per square meter
(N/m2).

One Newton is the amount of force it takes to accelerate a 1-kilogram object by one meter
per second (m/s)

Explanation:
It is equal to one-half the length of the vibration path. The amplitude of a pendulum is thus
one-half the distance that the bob traverses in moving from one side to the other. Waves are
generated by vibrating sources, their amplitude being proportional to the amplitude of the
source.

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Applied Physic Lab Simple Harmonic Motion EE-15-B

For a transverse waves, such as the wave on a plucked string, amplitude is measured by the
maximum displacement of any point on the string from its position when the string is at rest.
For longitudinal waves, such as a sound wave, amplitude is measured by the maximum

displacement of a particle from its position of equilibrium. When the amplitude of a wave
steadily decreases because its energy is being lost, it is said to be damped.

Damping:
It is restraining of vibratory motion, such as mechanical oscillations, noise and alternating
electric currents, by dissipation of energy.

Explanation:
A system may be so damped that it cannot vibrate. Critical damping just prevents vibration or
is just sufficient to allow the object to return to its rest position in the shortest period of time.
The automobile shock absorber is an example of a critically damped device. Additional
damping causes the system to be over damped, which may be desirable, as in some door
closers. The vibrations of an under damped system gradually taper off to zero.

Note: In magnetic damping, energy of motion is converted to heat by way of electric eddy currents induced in either a coil or
an aluminum plate (attached to the oscillating object) that passes between the poles of a magnet.

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Applied Physic Lab Simple Harmonic Motion EE-15-B

Acceleration:
It is a vector quantity that is defined as the rate at which an object changes its
velocity. An object is accelerating if it is changing its velocity.

Explanation:
Acceleration has nothing to do with going fast. A person can be moving very fast and still not
be accelerating. Acceleration has to do with changing how fast an object is moving. If an
object is not changing its velocity, then the object is not accelerating. The data at the right are
representative of a northward-moving accelerating object. The velocity is changing over the
course of time. In fact, the velocity is changing by a constant amount - 10 m/s - in each
second of time. Anytime an object's velocity is changing, the object is said to be accelerating;
it has acceleration.

Constant Acceleration:
Sometimes an accelerating object will change its velocity by the same amount each second.
As mentioned in the previous paragraph, the data table above shows an object changing its
velocity by 10 m/s in each consecutive second. This is referred to as a constant acceleration
since the velocity is changing by a constant amount each second. An object with a constant
acceleration should not be confused with an object with a constant velocity. Don't be fooled!
If an object is changing its velocity -whether by a constant amount or a varying amount - then
it is an accelerating object. And an object with a constant velocity is not accelerating. The
data tables below depict motions of objects with a constant acceleration and a changing
acceleration. Note that each object has a changing velocity.

Angular frequency:
Angular frequency, f, is defined as the number of circular revolutions in a given time
interval.

Explanation:
It is commonly measured in units of Hertz (Hz), where 1 Hz = 1 s–1. For example, the second
hand on a clock completes one revolution every 60 seconds and therefore has an angular
frequency of 1 /60 Hz.

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Applied Physic Lab Simple Harmonic Motion EE-15-B

Mathematically:

Apparatus
Our damped harmonic oscillator apparatus consists of a set of masses (locally fabricated)
attached to the end of a helical spring (PASCO part no. SE-8749). The mass is displaced
slightly and the resulting motion is recorded using a web camera (A4Tech) that is attached to
a computer. The data processing is performed in MATLAB that is equipped with the Image
Processing toolbox. The stands holding the mass-spring system are manufactured local.
Figure 7.3 shows the schematic setup of the experiment.

Procedure
Part 1
1. Note the mass m of the mass hanger.
2. Set up the apparatus as shown in the schematic. Attach the mass hanger and note the
extension, using the attached meter rule.
3. Add weights of equal mass and measure the extension each time a weight is added.
4. Plot a graph using the table developed above and draw the least squares curve fit.
5. Find the spring constant k.

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Applied Physic Lab Simple Harmonic Motion EE-15-B

Part 2
1. Remove the meter rule and start MATLAB.
(In the script, MATLAB commands are preceded with the symbol >>)
2. Pull the mass down by about 5 cm and release it.
≫ webcam
The command above activates a live video preview window and you can see the mass
oscillating on your computer screen. Readjust the apparatus to obtain a vertically
oscillating mass appearing on the computer screen.
3. In order to acquire frames, you need to type
≫ start(vid);
This will acquire 300 frames. Observe the parameters updating themselves in the
bottom of the video preview window.
4. In order to store these frames in the memory, you need to type
≫ savedata
This will create two arrays named frames and time and store the acquired frames and
their time stamped values.
≫ size(frames)
You see 4 numbers. Write down these values.
5. The first frame can be viewed by typing in the following commands.
≫ firstframe = frames( : , : , : , 1);
≫ imview(firstframe)
6. Next you need to crop the acquired frames so that all the irrelevant information is
altered out. MATLAB has a built-in command known as imcrop which crops an image
to a specified rectangle. You can crop the first frame by typing
≫ rect= [ xmin ymin (xmax – xmin) (ymax - ymin)]
7. Use the data cursor to scan the x and y coordinates for their maximum and minimum
values.
≫ cropregion = imcrop(firstframe,rect);
8. >>harmonic
9. ≫ imageprocess
This command will process all the cropped images in regions and will calculate the
centre of mass of the oscillating mass.
10. In order to calculate the displacement coordinates for the centre of mass, use the
command.

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Applied Physic Lab Simple Harmonic Motion EE-15-B

≫ masscentre
11. The x and y coordinates of the centre of mass through the 300 frames can be viewed by
typing
≫ x = centre(:,1),
and
≫ y = centre(:,2)
12. Plot a graph of the x coordinates against time. What does this graph physically
represent?
13. Now plot a graph of the y coordinates with time. Record the approximate time period of
the oscillation in seconds.
14. Compare this result with the time period that you have determined in previous section.

Calculations
K=0.075 N/m
Sr: # Mass (g) Length(cm) F=-k*x
1 20 16.4 0.012136
2 40 17.9 0.013246
3 60 19.2 0.014208
4 80 20.8 0.015392
5 100 22.34 0.016532

According to hook’s law:

F=-k*x

Negative sign shows the resorting force of the spring.

K is the spring constant.

X is the length in the spring.

T= time period of the oscillation

M= mass on the spring=100g=0.1kg

T=2*π√ 0.1/0.075=7.255s

Part 2
The time period as calculated from the Matlab data:
Number of vibrations = 20

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Applied Physic Lab Simple Harmonic Motion EE-15-B

Time elapsed for 20 vibrations = 152 sec

Time period = 152 / 20 = 7.6 sec

%error = (7.6 – 7.255 /7.255) x 100 = 4.755 %

Analysis
From this experiment we analyze that period of mass spring system increases as mass
increases and decreases as spring constant increases. So, we can say that period is directly
proportional to mass and inversely proportional to spring constant, k. We also analyze they
period of mass spring system does not depend on amplitude of vibration.

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Applied Physic Lab Simple Harmonic Motion EE-15-B

Graphical Analysis

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Applied Physic Lab Simple Harmonic Motion EE-15-B

Part 2
Matlab Code

>>Webcam

>>Start (vid)

>>Save data;

>>Size (frames)

Ans=

240 320 3 300

>>First frame = frames (:,:,:,1);

>>Imtool (first frame)

>>Rect = [145 4 (269 – 145) (231 – 4)];

>>Cropregiopn = imcrop (first frame, rect);

>>Imtool (crop region)

>>Harmonic

>>Image process

>>Mass centre

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Applied Physic Lab Simple Harmonic Motion EE-15-B

>>X = centre (:, 1);

>>Y = centre (:,2);

>>t = time (51; 350);

>>Plot (t, frames)

>>figure;plot(x,t)

>>figure;plot(y,t)

Used Matlab Functions

webcam.m
vid = videoinput('winvideo');
src = getselectedsource(vid);
set(vid,'FramesPerTrigger',350);
set(src,'FrameRate','30');
preview(vid);

imageprocess.m

for count =1:300

fr = regions(:,:,:,count);
gfr = rgb2gray(fr);
bw = im2bw(gfr,.8);
bw = imcomplement(bw);
segMass(:,:,count) = bw;
pause(0.03);
imshow(bw);
end

masscenter.m
for count=1:300,
lab = double(segMass(:,:,count));
property = regionprops(lab,'Centroid');
centre(count,:) = (property.Centroid);
end

savedata.m
[frames time] = getdata(vid,350);
frames2xyzabc = frames(:,:,:,51:350);
clear frames;
frames = frames2xyzabc; clear frames2xyzabc;

harmonic.m
for i=1:300
regions(:,:,:,i)=imcrop(frames(:,:,:,i),rect);
end

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Applied Physic Lab Simple Harmonic Motion EE-15-B

Graph of x vs t

Graph y vs t

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Applied Physic Lab Simple Harmonic Motion EE-15-B

Conclusion
In this experiment we find the time period of mass spring system by taking different values of
mass and oscillating them from different distances. We also find the spring constant of
spring.

Part 1
Time period=T=2*π√ m/k =7.3s

Frequency=f=1/T=0.137 Hz

Spring constant=k=-F/x= 0.075 N/m

Part 2
Time period = 152 / 20 = 7.6 sec

Percentage Error
%error = (7.6 – 7.255 /7.255) x 100 = 4.755 %

Experiment Questions
Q1. The acceleration in SHM is?
The acceleration in SHM is directly proportional to the instantaneous displacement and
always directed towards the mean position.
i.e. a α -x
Q2. What is the velocity of SHM?

Velocity we can calculate the velocity of the object at any point in SHM using the equation
below.

Where: “f” is the frequency of oscillation, “A” is amplitude, “x”

is instantaneous displacement and “v” is the velocity of SHM.

Q3. How we come to the above mentioned equation?

We know that velocity of a particle is given by
     v = dx/dt
In SHM displacement of particle is given by
x=Acos(ωt+φ)
now differentiating it with respect to t
     v = dx/dt = Aω(-sin(ωt+φ))                (8)

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Applied Physic Lab Simple Harmonic Motion EE-15-B

Here in equation 8 quantity Aω is known as velocity amplitude and velocity of oscillating

particle varies between the limits ±ω.
Since
cos2θ+sin2θ=1
⇒
A2sin2(ωt+φ)=A2-A2cos2(ωt+φ)
Or
sin(ωt+φ)=[1-x2/A2]

ω = 2πf

Q4. What is the value of velocity at mean position O and extreme positions A and B?
At Extreme Positions:
v=0
At Mean Positions:
Velocity is maximum
vmax = ±Aω
Q5. What is the value of kinetic energy of a particle executing SHM?

Kinetic Energy

At any instant t, when the displacement of particle is x, the velocity of particle is

Kinetic energy of particle K = 1/2 mv2

K =1/2  m w2(A2 – x2)

Q6. What is the value of potential energy of a particle executing SHM?

Potential Energy
Potential energy store in a body executing SHM can be find by calculating the work done by
the body
Work done = (average force)(displacement)
Favg = ½ K x
W = (½ K x)(x)
W = P.E

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Applied Physic Lab Simple Harmonic Motion EE-15-B

P.E = ½ K x2
K = m w2
P.E = ½ m w2 x2
Q7. How the graph would be like when we say that kinetic energy is maximum at mean
position and zero at extreme position?
K.E is maximum at mean position and it is zero at extreme positions because velocity is
maximum and zero respectively.
The graph would look like a sine wave.

Q8. What is angular SHM?

Angular SHM
Angular SHM involves “to and fro” angular oscillation of a body about a central position or
orientation. The particle or the body undergoes small angular displacement about mean
position. This results, when the body under stable equilibrium is disturbed by a small external
torque. In turn, the rotating system generates a restoring torque, which tries to restore
equilibrium.

Learning about angular SHM is easy as there runs a parallel set of governing equations for
different physical quantities involved with the motion. Most of the time, we only need to
know the equivalent terms to replace the linear counterpart in various equations. However,
there are few finer differences that we need to be aware about. For example, how would be
treat angular frequency “ω” and angular velocity of the oscillating body in SHM? They are
different.
Q9. What would be a resultant torque on the body at mean position?

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Applied Physic Lab Simple Harmonic Motion EE-15-B

Restoring torque
We write restoring torque equation for angular SHM as:
τ=-kθ
θ = θ0 sin (ω t + φ)
Where “k” is spring constant “θ0” is the amplitude, “φ” is the phase constant and “ωt + φ” is
the phase. Clearly, angular displacement is periodic with respect to time as it is represented
by bounded trigonometric function. The displacement “θ” varies between “− θ0” and “θ0”.
At mean position:
At mean position θ is zero that is why restoring torque is zero.
τ=0
Q10. What would be the time period of spring pendulum and simple pendulum?
Time period of spring pendulum is:

m
T=2π
√ k
Time period of simple pendulum is:

l
T=2π
√ g
Q11. What are the types of oscillations?
Types of Oscillations
There are two types of oscillation on the basis of damping:
 Damped Oscillations
 Undamped Oscillations
Q12. What are the units of ω, k and m?
 Unit of ω = radians / sec

 Unit of k = Newton / m

 Unit of m = kg
Q13. Is jumping on a spring mattress SHM? Explain your answer.
Jumping on a spring mattress is similar to the Spring Mass system and it is a SHM.
Since in that acceleration is directly proportional to the displacement and directed toward
mean position i.e. why it is SHM.
Q14. Are there any springs in nature?
No, there is no spring exist in nature.
Q15. Would a mass-spring system also work in space?

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Applied Physic Lab Simple Harmonic Motion EE-15-B

A mass-spring system work in space because it is independent of the gravity. The restoring
force exist in the spring in space and body will vibrate to and fro under the action of this
restoring force and execute SHM.
Q16. Can we make a spring using strong magnet bars?
Yes, springs can be made by strong magnet bars because they has elasticity and they will
produce restoring force required for SHM.
Q17. Why do we need shock absorbers with springs in car?
A shock absorber (in reality, a shock "damper") is a mechanical or hydraulic device designed
to absorb and damp shock impulses. It does this by converting the kinetic energy of the shock
into another form of energy (typically heat) which is then dissipated. Most shock absorbers
are a form of dashpot. The suspension system affects both the driver's control of the car and
the comfort of the occupants. The springs allow the wheels to move up to absorb bumps in
the road and reduce jolting, while the dampers prevent bouncing up and down.

References
[1] D. A. Qadling, Elementary Mechanics Vol. 3-4, Cambridge, (1999).
[2] S. Nedev, and V. C. Ivanova, "Webcam as a measuring tool in the undergraduate
physics laboratory", Eur. J. Phys. 27 1213 (2006).
[3] L.F.C. Zonnetti, A.S.S. Camargo, J. Sartori, D. F. de Sousa, and L. A. O. Nunes,
"Demonstration of dry and viscous damping of an oscillating pendulum", Eur. J.
Phys. 20 85 (1999).
[4] A. P. French, Vibrations and Waves Vol. 3-4, M.I.T. Introductory Physics Series,
USA and CBS Publishers, India, (2003).

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