Simple Harmonic Motion

• SHM is simplest form of periodic motion, which is also called as ‘Harmonic

Motion’

• It is reciprocating motion (to-and-fro) represented by trigonometric functions:

sine and cosine

• SHM can be considered as projection of uniform circular motion

-A A

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 Simple Harmonic Motion

P
• Consider the motion of particle P, which is moving with ω
constant angular velocity ω A
Θ Ө
• After t seconds the angular velocity of P will be 𝜔 = 𝑡 Q
Hence Θ = 𝜔𝑡
Distance x is given as
x=AcosӨ
x=Acosωt 1.1 x
This equation gives Position of P at any time t
O
Equilibrium Position
By differentiating eq 1.1 once will give A
velocity Reminder
𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒,Δ𝑠
Linear motion: velocity,𝑉 =
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒, Δ𝑡
V=-Aωsinωt 1.2
Analogue to above equation is
ΔΘ Θ𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 −Θ𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙
Then differentiating eq 1.2 again will give Angular motion 𝜔 = =
Δ𝑡 𝑡𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙−𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙
acceleration At start Θ𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 = 0
a=-Aω2cosωt 1.3 𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 = 0
Now substituting eq 1.1 into eq 1.3 So, Θ = 𝜔𝑡
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 Simple Harmonic Motion
P
a=ẍ= -ω2 x
A
ω
• Thus, acceleration of a particle exhibiting SHM Ө=ωt

(i) Always proportional to its displacement

from fixed point on the path of motion
and -A A
(ii) Is always directed towards the fixed
point
The -ve sign indicates that the acceleration is
in the opposite direction to the displacement.

Angular displacement, ωt
Harmonic motion as the projection of the
end of a rotating vector, X=Acos ωt is
shown in Figure.

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 Simple Harmonic Motion

Characteristics of Periodic Vibration

Period vibration may be looked upon as an oscillating motion of a particle or body about
the reference point, motion repeating itself exactly after certain period of time. The
simple form of period vibration is the so called harmonic motion , which can be seen in
figure given below, is represented by the sinusoidal curve.

Cycle: when the object moves from one extreme position to the other
extreme, and back again.

Amplitude: Maximum displacement of a vibrating body from its

equilibrium position

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 Simple Harmonic Motion

Frequency: Number of cycles per

Time Period: Time taken to complete unit time
one oscillation 𝒇=Cycles/Sec units Hertz, Hz
T=Sec/Cycles

T=1/f
How many radians in one circle?
ΔΘ
1 Cycle =2π Since 𝜔 =
Δ𝑡
2𝜋
𝜔= Angular frequency, 𝜔 =
2𝜋
𝑇
𝑇
or
2𝜋 𝜔 = 2𝜋𝑓
Timer period, T =
𝜔
Units rad/s

Natural Frequency :The frequency at which an object tends to vibrate when disturbed is
known as the natural frequency of the object.

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 Simple Harmonic Motion

Amplitude X(t), Harmonic Oscillation

T, Sec
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 Simple Harmonic Motion
Phase angle:
At time t P1 is at as shown in figure and given as x1(t)=Asinωt
Later P1 is at P2 position , which is given as x2(t)=Asin(ωt+ɸ)

Two harmonic motions

x1(t) and x2(t) same
x angular velocity,
O frequency and amplitude

ɸ
Similarly in an other
example two harmonic
motions x1 and x2 have
same angular velocity
and frequency but
different amplitudes.

In both examples, OP2 leads the first vector OP1 by an angle ɸ which as known as
phase angle. This means, maximum of the second vector would occur ɸ radians
earlier than the first vector.
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 Simple Harmonic Motion

Complex Number Representation of SHM

Simple harmonic motion requires the description of both

horizontal and vertical components. It very convenient to
represent SHM using Complex numbers.

But how do we define the vector?

Using complex number representation

Complex means: complicated or mixture

Complex Number is mixture of real and imaginary
numbers
𝑍 = 𝑎 + 𝑖𝑏

real: imaginary:
denoted as Re(z) denoted as Im(z)

Complex numbers can be represented as points in the complex plane,

where the point (a, b) represents the complex number 𝑎 + 𝑖𝑏

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 Simple Harmonic Motion

Graphical addition of complex numbers

Geometrically, addition of complex numbers corresponds to vector addition in the
complex plane.

Example 𝑍1 = 5 + 𝑖2, 𝑍2 = 2 + 𝑖3
Construct parallelogram formed by two adjacent sides Z1 and
Z2. The diagonal OP represents the complex number
𝑍 = 𝑎 + 𝑖𝑏, where a=5+2=7 and b=2+3=5
Therefore 𝑍 = 7 + 𝑖5

Polar form of Complex numbers

Complex numbers can be expressed in terms of polar form. Let OP be a Y
complex number a+ib. r = length of complex number and Ө the angle P
made with OX r
Then 𝑟 2 = 𝑎2 + 𝑏2 𝑜𝑟 𝑟 = 𝑎2 + 𝑏2 b
𝒃 𝒃
𝒕𝒂𝒏𝜽 = 𝜽= 𝒕𝒂𝒏−𝟏 Also 𝒂 = 𝒓𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜽 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝒃 = 𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜽 Ө
𝒂 𝒂

Since 𝑧 = 𝑎 + 𝑖𝑏, 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑏𝑒 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑛 𝑎𝑠 O a X

𝒛 = 𝒓𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜽 + 𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜽 𝒐𝒓 𝒛 = 𝒓(𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜽 + 𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜽) this is called polar form of complex

𝑏
number 𝑎 + 𝑖𝑏, where 𝑟 = 𝑎2 + 𝑏2 and 𝜃 = 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1
𝑎
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 Simple Harmonic Motion

Exponential Form of Complex Numbers

𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 + 𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑏𝑒 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑛 𝑖𝑛 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚 𝑎𝑠 𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝜃 𝑜𝑟 𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝜔𝑡 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝜃 = 𝜔𝑡
𝑥2 𝑥3 𝑥4 𝑥5
𝑒𝑥 = 1+𝑥 + + + + +…… (1)
2! 3! 4! 5!

𝑥3 𝑥5 𝑥7 𝑥9
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑥 = 𝑥 − + − + +………. (2)
3! 5! 7! 9!

𝑥2 𝑥4 𝑥6
𝑐𝑜𝑠𝑥 = 1 − + − +…… (3)
2! 4! 6!

Substitute 𝑖𝜃 in place of 𝑥 in series (1)

(𝑖𝜃) 2 (𝑖𝜃) 3 (𝑖𝜃) 4
𝑒 𝑖𝜃 = 1 + 𝑖𝜃 + + + + ……
2! 3! 4!
𝑖2𝜃2 𝑖3 𝜃3 𝑖4 𝜃4
= 1 + 𝑖𝜃 + + + +⋯
2! 3! 4!
Simplifying further
𝜃2 𝜃4 𝜃3 𝜃5
= 1− + − ⋯… + 𝑖 𝜃 − + − ⋯…
2! 4! 3! 5!

= 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜽 + 𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜽

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 Simple Harmonic Motion

Operation on Harmonic motion

A Rotating vector can be expressed by complex number

Consider Figure where

𝑋ത = 𝐴𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 + 𝑖𝐴𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
and can be written as
𝑋ത = 𝐴𝑒 𝑖𝜔𝑡 (Displacement)
𝑑𝑋ത
Differentiating w.r.t = 𝑖𝜔𝐴𝑒 𝑖𝜔𝑡 (velocity)
𝑑𝑡

𝑑2𝑡
Differentiating w.r.t again = −𝜔2 𝐴𝑒 𝑖𝜔𝑡 (acceleration)
𝑑𝑡 2

Thus Displacement, Velocity and Acceleration can be expressed as

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 Simple Harmonic Motion

It can be noted that

Velocity and acceleration
vectors lead the
displacement vector by
90ᶱ & 180ᶱ, respectively.
Adding Two SHMs Vectorially
Harmonic functions can be added Vectorially

𝑅𝑒 𝑋ത1 = 𝐴1 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜔𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅𝑒 𝑋ത2 = 𝐴2 cos 𝜔𝑡 + 𝜃

Resultant 𝑋 = 𝑥1 + 𝑥2 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑏𝑒 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑛 𝑎𝑠 𝐴 = 𝐴1 + 𝐴2

A2=(A1+A2cosӨ)2+(A2sinӨ)2 By expanding

Vectorial addition of SHMs

Doted lines in figure use
Parallelogram & triangle law of
vector addition
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 Simple Harmonic Motion

What is the oscillation period?

X(t), Harmonic Oscillation

What is its frequency, ω?

Displacement amplitude (peak to peak)?

Amplitude
Velocity amplitude (peak to peak)?

Acceleration amplitude (peak to peak)?

T, Sec
What is x(t)?

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 Simple Harmonic Motion

Examples

1 Find sum of the two harmonic motions.

𝑥1 𝑡 = 10𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜔𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑥2 𝑡 = 15cos(𝜔𝑡 + 2)

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