Chapter 14

Oscillations

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 Units of Chapter 14
•Oscillations of a Spring
•Simple Harmonic Motion
•Energy in the Simple Harmonic Oscillator
•Simple Harmonic Motion Related to Uniform
Circular Motion
•The Simple Pendulum

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 14-1 Oscillations of a Spring
If an object vibrates or
oscillates back and forth
over the same path,
each cycle taking the
same amount of time,
the motion is called
periodic. The mass and
spring system is a
useful model for a
periodic system.

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 14-1 Oscillations of a Spring
We assume that the surface is frictionless.
There is a point where the spring is neither
stretched nor compressed; this is the
equilibrium position. We measure
displacement from that point (x = 0 on the
previous figure).
The force exerted by the spring depends on
the displacement:

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 14-1 Oscillations of a Spring

• The minus sign on the force indicates that it

is a restoring force—it is directed to restore
the mass to its equilibrium position.
• k is the spring constant.
• The force is not constant, so the acceleration
is not constant either.

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 14-1 Oscillations of a Spring
• Displacement is measured from
the equilibrium point.
• Amplitude is the maximum
displacement.
• A cycle is a full to-and-fro
motion.
• Period is the time required to
complete one cycle.
• Frequency is the number of
cycles completed per second.

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 14-1 Oscillations of a Spring

If the spring is hung

vertically, the only change
is in the equilibrium
position, which is at the
point where the spring
force equals the
gravitational force.

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 14-1 Oscillations of a Spring

Example 14-1: Car springs.

When a family of four with a total
mass of 200 kg step into their
1200-kg car, the car’s springs
compress 3.0 cm. (a) What is the
spring constant of the car’s
springs, assuming they act as a
single spring? (b) How far will the
car lower if loaded with 300 kg
rather than 200 kg?

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 14-2 Simple Harmonic Motion
Any vibrating system where the restoring force
is proportional to the negative of the
displacement is in simple harmonic motion
(SHM), and is often called a simple harmonic
oscillator (SHO).
Substituting F = kx into Newton’s second
law gives the equation of motion:

with solutions of the form:

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 14-2 Simple Harmonic Motion
Substituting, we verify that this solution does
indeed satisfy the equation of motion, with:

The constants A and φ

will be determined by
initial conditions; A is
the amplitude, and φ
gives the phase of the
motion at t = 0.

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 14-2 Simple Harmonic Motion
The velocity can be found by differentiating the
displacement:

These figures illustrate the effect of φ:

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 14-2 Simple Harmonic Motion

Because then

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 14-2 Simple Harmonic Motion

Example 14-2: Car springs again.

Determine the period and frequency of a
car whose mass is 1400 kg and whose
shock absorbers have a spring constant
of 6.5 x 104 N/m after hitting a bump.
Assume the shock absorbers are poor,
so the car really oscillates up and down.

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 14-2 Simple Harmonic Motion
The velocity and
acceleration for simple
harmonic motion can
be found by
differentiating the
displacement:

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 14-2 Simple Harmonic Motion

Example 14-3: A vibrating floor.

A large motor in a factory causes the
floor to vibrate at a frequency of 10 Hz.
The amplitude of the floor’s motion
near the motor is about 3.0 mm.
Estimate the maximum acceleration of
the floor near the motor.

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 14-2 Simple Harmonic Motion
Example 14-4: Loudspeaker.
The cone of a loudspeaker oscillates in SHM at a
frequency of 262 Hz (“middle C”). The amplitude
at the center of the cone is A = 1.5 x 10-4 m, and at
t = 0, x = A. (a) What equation describes the
motion of the center of the cone? (b) What are the
velocity and acceleration as a function of time?
(c) What is the position of the cone at t = 1.00 ms
(= 1.00 x 10-3 s)?

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 14-2 Simple Harmonic Motion
Example 14-5: Spring calculations.
A spring stretches 0.150 m when a 0.300-kg mass is
gently attached to it. The spring is then set up
horizontally with the 0.300-kg mass resting on a
frictionless table. The mass is pushed so that the spring
is compressed 0.100 m from the equilibrium point, and
released from rest. Determine: (a) the spring stiffness
constant k and angular frequency ω; (b) the amplitude of
the horizontal oscillation A; (c) the magnitude of the
maximum velocity vmax; (d) the magnitude of the
maximum acceleration amax of the mass; (e) the period T
and frequency f; (f) the displacement x as a function of
time; and (g) the velocity at t = 0.150 s.

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 14-2 Simple Harmonic Motion
Example 14-6: Spring is started with a
push.
Suppose the spring of Example 14–5
(where ω = 8.08 s-1) is compressed 0.100 m
from equilibrium (x0 = -0.100 m) but is given
a shove to create a velocity in the +x
direction of v0 = 0.400 m/s. Determine (a) the
phase angle φ, (b) the amplitude A, and (c)
the displacement x as a function of time,
x(t).

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14-3 Energy in the Simple Harmonic Oscillator
We already know that the potential energy of a
spring is given by:

The total mechanical energy is then:

The total mechanical energy will be

conserved, as we are assuming the system
is frictionless.
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 14-3 Energy in the Simple
Harmonic Oscillator
If the mass is at the
limits of its motion, the
energy is all potential.
If the mass is at the
equilibrium point, the
energy is all kinetic.
We know what the
potential energy is at the
turning points:

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14-3 Energy in the Simple Harmonic Oscillator

The total energy is, therefore,

And we can write:

This can be solved for the velocity as a

function of position:

where

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14-3 Energy in the Simple Harmonic Oscillator
This graph shows the potential energy
function of a spring. The total energy is
constant.

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14-3 Energy in the Simple Harmonic Oscillator
Example 14-7: Energy calculations.
For the simple harmonic oscillation of
Example 14–5 (where k = 19.6 N/m, A = 0.100
m, x = -(0.100 m) cos 8.08t, and v = (0.808 m/s)
sin 8.08t), determine (a) the total energy, (b)
the kinetic and potential energies as a function
of time, (c) the velocity when the mass is 0.050
m from equilibrium, (d) the kinetic and
potential energies at half amplitude (x = ± A/2).

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14-3 Energy in the Simple Harmonic Oscillator
Conceptual Example 14-8:
Doubling the amplitude.
Suppose this spring is
stretched twice as far (to
x = 2A).What happens to
(a) the energy of the
system, (b) the maximum
velocity of the oscillating
mass, (c) the maximum
acceleration of the mass?

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 14-4 Simple Harmonic Motion Related to
Uniform Circular Motion

If we look at the projection onto

the x axis of an object moving
in a circle of radius A at a
constant speed υM , we find that
the x component of its velocity
varies as:

This is identical to SHM.

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 14-5 The Simple Pendulum

A simple pendulum
consists of a mass at
the end of a
lightweight cord. We
assume that the cord
does not stretch, and
that its mass is
negligible.

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 14-5 The Simple Pendulum
In order to be in SHM, the
restoring force must be
proportional to the negative of
the displacement. Here we
have:
which is proportional to sin θ
and not to θ itself.
However, if the angle is small,
sin θ ≈ θ.

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 14-5 The Simple Pendulum
Therefore, for small angles, we have:

where

The period and frequency are:

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 14-5 The Simple Pendulum

So, as long as the cord can

be considered massless
and the amplitude is small,
the period does not depend
on the mass.

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 14-5 The Simple Pendulum

Example 14-9: Measuring g.

A geologist uses a simple pendulum
that has a length of 37.10 cm and a
frequency of 0.8190 Hz at a particular
location on the Earth. What is the
acceleration of gravity at this
location?

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 Summary of Chapter 14

• For SHM, the restoring force is proportional to

the displacement.
• The period is the time required for one cycle,
and the frequency is the number of cycles per
second.
• Period for a mass on a spring:
• SHM is sinusoidal.
• During SHM, the total energy is continually
changing from kinetic to potential and back.

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 Summary of Chapter 14
• A simple pendulum approximates SHM if its
amplitude is not large. Its period in that case is:

• When friction is present, the motion is

damped.

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