Simple Harmonic Motion

HANDOUT SIMPLE HARMONIC MOTION

DAMPED SIMPLE HARMONIC MOTION
We know that the motion of a simple pendulum, swinging in air, dies out eventually. Why does it
happen ? This is because the air drag and the friction at the support oppose the motion of the
pendulum and dissipate its energy gradually. The pendulum is said to execute damped oscillations.
In damped oscillations, the energy of the system is
dissipated continuously; but, for small damping, the
oscillations remain approximately periodic. The dissipating
forces are generally the frictional forces. To understand
the effect of such external forces on the motion of an
oscillator. Let us consider a system as shown in figure
below, here a block of mass m connected to an elastic
spring of spring constant k oscillates vertically. If the block
is pushed down a little and released, its angular frequency
k
of oscillation is (= ).However, in practice, the
m
surrounding medium (air) will exert a damping force on
the motion of the block and the mechanical energy of the
block-spring system will decrease. The energy loss will
appear as heat of the surrounding medium (and the block
also)
The damping force depends on the nature of the surrounding medium. If the block is immersed in a
liquid, the magnitude of damping will be much greater and the dissipation of energy much faster. The
damping force is generally proportional to velocity of the bob. [Remember Stokes’ Law] and acts
opposite to the direction of velocity. If the damping force is denoted by F d, we have
Fd  bV
where the positive constant b depends on characteristics of the medium (viscosity, for example) and the
size and shape of the block, etc. This equation is usually valid only for small velocity. When the mass m
is attached to the spring and released, the spring will elongate a little and the mass will settle at some
height. This position, shown by O in Figure 1, is the equilibrium position of the mass. If the mass is
pulled down or pushed up a little, the restoring force on the block due to the spring is Fs  kx where x
is the displacement of the mass from its equilibrium position. Thus, the total force acting on the mass at
any time t, is F  kx  bv . If a(t) is the acceleration of mass at time t, then by Newton’s Law of Motion
applied along the direction of motion, we have m a(t) = –kx(t) – b (t )
Here we have dropped the vector notation because we are discussing one-dimensional motion. Using
the first and second derivatives of x (t) for v (t) and a (t) respectively, we have
d2 x dx
m b  kx  0 .....(1)
dt 2 dt
Equation 1 is a second-order linear differential equation and its auxiliary equation is mr 2 + br + k = 0.
The roots are
b  b2  4mk b  b2  4mk
r1 = r2 = .....(2)
2m 2m
We need to discuss three cases.
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Simple Harmonic Motion
CASE I : b2 – 4mk > 0 (overdamping)
x x

0 t 0 t

In this case r1 and r2 are distinct real roots and x = b1er1t  b2 er2 t

Since b, m, and k are all positive, we have b2  4mk < b, so the roots r1 and r2 given by Equation 2
must both be negative. This shows that x  0 as t  . Typical graphs of x as a function of t are shown
in above figure. Now Notice that oscillations do not occur. (It's possible for the mass to pass through the
equilibrium position once but only once.) This is because b 2 > 4mk means that there is a strong
damping force (high-viscosity oil or grease compared with a weak spring or small mass.
CASE II : b2 – 4mk = 0 (critical damping)
This case corresponds to equal roots
b
r1 = r 2 = –
2m
and the solution is given by
x = (b1 + b2t)e–(b/2m)t
It is similar to Case I, and typical graphs resemble those in above figure, but the damping is just
sufficient to suppress vibrations. Any decrease in the viscosity of the fluid leads to the vibrations of the
following case.
CASE III : b2 – 4mk < 0 (underdamping)
Here the roots are complex:
r1  b
  ' i
r2  2m

k b2
Where  '   .....(3)
m 4m2
The solution is given by
x = e–(b/2m)t (b1 cos 't + b2 sin 't) = Ae–(b/2m)t cos('t+)
We see that there are oscillations the are damped by the factor
e–(b/2m)t. Since b > 0 and m > 0, we have –(b/2m) < 0 so e–(c/2m)t
 as t  . This implies that x  0 as t  ; that is, the
motion decays to 0 as time increases. A graph is shown in
figure.
Now the mechanical energy of the undamped oscillator is
1/2 kA2. For a damped oscillator, the amplitude is not constant
but depends on time. For small damping, we may use the same
expression but regard the amplitude as A e–bt/2m.
1 2 bt / m
E(t) kA e .....(4)
2
Equation shows that the total energy of the system decreases exponentially with time. Note that small
 b 
damping means that is   much less than  Of course, as expected, if we put b = 0, all equations
 2m 
of a damped oscillator in this section reduce to the corresponding equations of an undamped oscillator.

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Simple Harmonic Motion
Quality Factor or Q value:
Practical applications require consideration of the quality of the oscillator, Q, which specifies the ratio
of total energy, E, to the energy loss, E, over one complete oscillation period, T:
E
Q = 2
| E |
'
Q
2

k b2 b
where '   and 
m 4m2 2m
In the limit of zero damping, the oscillator experiences no energy loss, and Q . In the limit of small
damping, the quality of the oscillator can be approximated by

Q
2
Combining these two results provides a handy formula for the energy loss during a complete oscillation
period of weakly damped motion:
2 4 k
E  E E where 
Q  m

Example 1. For the damped oscillator shown in Figure the mass m of the block is 200 g, k = 90 N m–1 and
the damping constant b is 40 g s–1. Calculate (a) the period of oscillation, (b) time taken for its
amplitude of vibrations to drop to half of its initial value and (c) the time taken for its mechanical
energy to drop to half its initial value.
Answer : (a) The time period T from Equation. is given by
2 2
T   0.3 sec
' k b2

m 4m2
(b) Now, from equation, the time, T 1/2 for the amplitude drop half of its initial value is given
by
bt / 2m
A (t) = Ae
bT
A  1/ 2 2m n2
 Ae 2m  T1/ 2  = 6.93 s
2 b
(c) For calculating the time, t1/2, for its mechanical energy to drop to half its initial value we
make use of equation from this equation we have.
E(0) E(0)
E(t1/ 2 )   E(0)ebt / m 
2 2
( n2)m 6.93
t1/2 = =
b 2
This is just half of the decay period for amplitude. This is not surprising, because,
according to Equation 4, energy depends on the square of the amplitude. Notice that
there is a factor of 2 in the exponents of the two exponentials.

d2 x dx
Example 2. Show that the system   3x = 0 is underdamped, find its damped angular frequency
dt 2 dt
Solution : m = 1, b = 1, k = 3
b2 < 4mk
So, the system is underdamped
k b2  11 –1
d =   2
  s
 m 4m  2

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 Simple Harmonic Motion

, FORCED OSCILLATIONS AND RESONANCE

When a system (such as a simple pendulum or a block attached to a spring) is displaced from its
equilibrium position and released, it oscillates with its natural frequency , and the oscillations are
called free oscillations. All free oscillations eventually die out because of the ever present damping
forces. However, an external agency can maintain these oscillations. These are called force or driven
oscillations. We consider the
case when the external force is itself periodic, with a frequency d called the driven frequency. A most
important fact of forced periodic oscillations is that the system oscillates not with its natural frequency
, but at the frequency d of the external agency; the free oscillations die out due to damping. A most
familiar example of forced oscillation is when a child in a garden swing periodically presses his feet
against the ground (or someone else periodically gives the child a push) to maintain the oscillations.
Suppose an external force F(t) of amplitude F0 that varies periodically with time is applied to a damped
oscillator. Such a force can be represented as,
F(t) = Fo cos d t
The motion of a particle under the combined action of a linear restoring force, damping force and a time
dependent driving force represented by Equation is given by,
m a(t) = –k x(t) – b(t) + Fo cos d t
Substituting d2x/dt2 for acceleration in Equation and rearranging it, we get
d2 x dx
m 2
+ b + kx = Fo cos dt .....(5)
dt dt
This is the equation of an oscillator of mass m on which a periodic force of (angular) frequency d is
applied. The oscillator initially oscillates with its natural frequency . When we apply the external
periodic force, the
oscillations with the natural frequency die out, and then the body oscillates with the (angular) frequency
of the external periodic force. Its displacement, after the natural oscillations die out, is given by
x(t) = A cos (dt +  ) .....(6)
where t is the time measured from the moment when we apply the periodic force. The amplitude A is a
function of the forced frequency d and the natural frequency . Analysis shows that it is given by
F0
A .....(7)
 2 2
 
2 2
2
2
 m   d  d b 
 
v 0
and tan  
d x0
where m is the mass of the particle and v0 and x0 are the velocity and the displacement of the particle at
time t = 0, which is the moment when we apply the periodic force. Equation (7) shows that the
amplitude of the forced oscillator depends on the (angular) frequency of the driving force. We can see a
different behaviour
of the oscillator when d is far from  and when it is close to . We consider these two cases.
(a) Small Damping, Driving Frequency far from Natural Frequency : In this case, d b will be much
smaller than m(2 –2d), and we can neglect that term. Then Equation. (7) reduces to
F0
A .....(8)

m   2d 2

Figure (3) shows the dependence of the displacement amplitude of an oscillator on the angular
frequency of the driving force for different amounts of damping present in the system. It may be
noted that in all the cases the amplitude is greatest when d / = 1. The curves in this figure
show that smaller the damping, the taller and narrower is the resonance peak.

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Simple Harmonic Motion

If we go on changing the driving frequency, the amplitude tends to infinity when it equals the
natural frequency. But this is the ideal case of zero damping, a case which never arises in a
real system as the damping is never perfectly zero. You must have experienced in a swing that
when the timing of your push exactly matches with the time period of the swing, your swing
gets the maximum amplitude. This amplitude is large, but not infinity, because there is always
some damping in your swing. This will become clear in the case (b).
(b) Driving Frequency Close to Natural Frequency : If d is very close to , m (2 – 2d ) would be
much less than db, for any reasonable value of b, then Equation. (7) reduces to
F0
A
db
This makes it clear that the maximum possible amplitude for a given driving frequency is
governed by the driving frequency and the damping, and is never infinity. The phenomenon of
increase in amplitude when the driving force is close to the natural frequency of the oscillator is
called resonance. In our daily life we encounter phenomena which involve resonance. Your
experience with swings is a good example of resonance. You might have realised that the skill
in swinging to greater heights lies in the synchronization of the rhythm of pushing against the
ground with the natural frequency of the swing.

Example 3. A particle of mass m is attached to a spring (of spring constant k) and has a natural angular
frequency 0. An external force F(t) proportional to cos t ( 0) is applied to the oscillator.
The time displacement of the oscillator will be proportional to :
m 1 1 m
(1) 2 (2) (3) (4) 2
0   2
m (0   )
2 2
m (0   )
2 2
0  2
Solution : x(t) = A cos (dt + 0)
F0
where A
 
2
m2 2  2d  2db2
for small damping
F0  F0 
A 
x (t) =  2 
cos(d  0 ) Ans. (2)
[m(  d2 )]  m(  d ) 
2 2

Example. 4 In forced oscillation of a particle, the amplitude is maximum for a frequency 1 of the force,
while the energy is maximum for a frequency 2 of the force, then :
(1) 1 = 2 (2) 1 > 2
(3) 1 < 2 when damping is small and 1 > 2 when damping is large
(4) 1 < 2
Solution : Amplitude and energy both are maximum at resonance, when driving frequency is equal to the
natural frequency of oscillation. Hence 1 = 2 = 0
Ans. (1)
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 Simple Harmonic Motion
Example 5. If a simple pendulum has significant amplitude (up to a factor of 1/e of original) only in the
period between t = 0s to t = s, then  may be called the average life of the pendulum. When
the spherical bob of the pendulum suffers a retardation (due to viscous drag) proportional to its
velocity, with 'b' as the constant of proportionality, the average life time of the pendulum is
(assuming damping is small) in seconds :
0.693 1 2
(1) (2) b (3) (4)
b b b
Solution: A (t) = A0e–bt/2m
A0 2m
= A0e–bt/2m  
e b
b  kx 
In the given question is given as b.  a   bv  Ans (4)
m  m 
Example 6. The amplitude of a damped oscillator decreases to 0.9 times its original magnitude is 5s. In
another 10s it will decrease to  times its original magnitude, where  equals.
(1) 0.7 (2) 0.81 (3) 0.729 (4) 0.6
Solutions : A (t) = A0e –bt/2m Given A (5) = 0.9 A0
0.9A0 = A0e–b(5)/2m A (15) =  A0
   A0 = A0e –b(15)/2m   = (0.9)3 = 0.729 Ans (3)
Example 7. Determine whether the system is underdamped, overdamped or critically damped.
d2 x dx d2 x dx
(i) 2
4  3x  0 (ii) 2
4  4x  0
dt dt dt dt
2
dx dx
Solution : m 2
b  kx  0
dt dt
If b2 < 4mk then the system is underdamped
If b2 > 4mk then the system is overdamped
If b2 = 4mk then the system is critically damped
(i) overdamped (ii) Critically damped

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