Periodic Motion (Oscillation)

(University Physics, 13th edition, Chapter 14 )

 4 lectures (two weeks, 6 hours) on this chapter:

Lecture 13: Periodic motion and its basic quantities: amplitude, cycle, time period,
frequency, angular frequency; Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM) and its importance,.
Lecture 14: Uniform circular motion and equations of SHM Displacement, velocity,
acceleration in SHM and related Problems.
Lecture 15: Energy in SHM and related problems, Applications of SHM: Simple
Pendulum.
Lecture 16: Damped Oscillation and related problems. Review on Theories and
Discussion on Practice Problems.

Quiz 3 will be on this Chapter

Periodic Motion
 Periodic Motion

• Many kinds of motions repeat themselves over and over: a rocking chair, a bouncing
ball, a vibrating tuning fork, a swing in motion, the Earth in its orbit around the Sun,
a water wave, etc. This kind of motion is called periodic motion or oscillation.
• A body that undergoes periodic motion always has a stable equilibrium position.
• When it is moved away from the equilibrium position, a force or torque comes into
play to pull it back to the equilibrium position.
• But by the time it gets there (equilibrium), it has picked up some kinetic energy, so it
overshoots, stopping somewhere on the other side and is again pulled back toward
equilibrium. See Fig. 14.2 in the next page and try to understand.
• Understanding periodic motion will be essential for our study of waves (sound, light,
etc.).
 -A O A

Basic Quantities of Periodic Motion: x(t)

• Amplitude: the maximum displacement from the equilibrium, A (it is

always positive).
• Cycle: one complete round trip (from A to –A and back to A through o or o
to A, back through o to -A, and back to o). Half cycle: one side to another
(say, A to - A).
• Time Period: time to complete one cycle. Symbol: T, unit: second.
• Frequency: number of cycle per second. Symbol: f, unit: cycle/s or hertz.
• Angular Frequency/ Angular Speed: angular displacement per second.
Symbol: ω (omega), unit: rad/s.
• Relationship:
Check Point!
14.2 Simple Harmonic Motion
(SHM)
• SHM is the special kind of periodic motion in which the
restoring force is directly proportional to the displacement. This
happen if the spring is an ideal one that obeys Hooke’s law:

[ K= Spring constant]

[]

• The minus sign means acceleration and displacement always

have opposite signs. A body that undergoes SHM is called
harmonic oscillator.
 Why SHM is important?
• Not all periodic motions are simple harmonic;
in periodic motion in general, the restoring
force depends on displacement in more
complicated way than the Hooke’s law.
• If the amplitude is small enough the
oscillations of a periodic system are
approximately SHM.
• We can use SHM as an approximate model for
many different periodic motion: vibration of
quartz crystal in a watch, the motion of a
tuning fork, the electric current in an AC
circuit, the oscillations of atoms in molecules
and solids, etc.
 Uniform Circular Motion and Equations of SHM:

 SHM is the projection of uniform circular motion onto the diameter.

• Displacement of the point P:
• Centripetal acceleration of the ball Q:
[A= radius of the circle]

• Acceleration of the projection point P:

• The acceleration of the point P is directly proportional

to the displacement x (= ) and always has the opposite
sign like the SHM.

• If point Q makes one complete revolution in time T,

then point P goes through one complete cycle of
oscillation in the same time T. Thus, we get
Equations of SHM:
• Angular frequency of a harmonic oscillator of mass m and spring
constant k:

• Frequency:
• Time Period:
• A larger mass m, with its greater inertia, will have less acceleration,
move more slowly, and take a longer time for complete cycle.
• In contrast, a stiffer spring (one with a large force constant k) exerts a
greater force at a given deformation x, causing greater acceleration,
higher frequency and a shorter time period T.
 Check Point!

 Consider a harmonic oscillator with mass 50 g and force

constant 2000 N/m. Calculate the angular frequency,
frequency and time period of the oscillator. If you change
the mass by 100 g what would be the values. Also, if the
force constant change by 1000 N/m for 50 g oscillator what
would be the values? Compare the results and make your
comments.
 Displacement in
y
SHM t
• Angular displacement is measured from (positive) x A
𝜃 t=0
axis in the counter-clockwise direction. 𝜑
x
• At the starting time t=0, angular displacement from 𝑥 (𝑡 )
x axis is .
• At a later time t, angular displacement from x axis
is .
• Angular Speed,
• Displacement of the oscillator

• is called phase angle. Figure shows displacement vs

time graph for the same harmonic oscillator with
different phase angles.
 Velocity and Acceleration in SHM
• Velocity:
• Velocity v(t) oscillates between: .
• Acceleration:
• Acceleration a(t) oscillates between: .
Do you
understand?
 What is the magnitude of maximum acceleration of a platform that
oscillates at amplitude 2.20 cm and frequency 6.60 Hz?

Solution:
A = 2.20 cm = 0.0220 m, f = 6.60 Hz

a(t) = - ω2 A cos (ωt + φ)

For maximum acceleration,

am= ω2A = (2πf )2 A = 2π( 6.60)2( 0.0220 m) = 37.8 m/s2
 An oscillator consists of a block of mass 0.500 kg connected to a spring. When set into oscillation
with amplitude 35.0 cm, the oscillator repeats its motion every 0.500 s. Find the (a) period, (b)
frequency, (c) angular frequency, (d) spring constant, (e) maximum speed, and (f) magnitude of the
maximum force on the block from the spring.

Given: m =0.500 kg
A= xm=35.0 cm = 0.35 m
T = 0.500 s
(a) T = 0.500 s
(b) f = = = 2.00 Hz [ /s]
(c) ω = 2πf = 2π(2.00) = 12.6 rad/s
(d) ω = .
k = m ω2 = (0.500)(12.6)2 = 79.0 N/m
(e) v(t) = - ωAsin (ωt + φ)
vm = ωA = (12.6)(0.350) = 4.40 m/s
(f) F = - k x
Fs = kA = (79.0)(0.350) = 27.6 N
Newton’s third law, Fs = Fm = 27.6 N
14.3 Energy in SHM
The force exerted by an ideal spring is a conservative force so the total
mechanical energy is conserved. We also assume that the mass of the spring
itself is negligible.

Mechanical Energy = Kinetic Energy + Potential Energy = constant

E = K(t) + U(t) = Constant
Potential Energy
The potential energy of a linear oscillator like that of Fig. is associated entirely with the
spring. Its value depends on how much the spring is stretched or compressed, that is, on
x(t). We know,

[]
Kinetic Energy
The kinetic energy of the system of Figure (a) is associated entirely with the
block. Its value depends on how fast the block is moving—that is, on v(t).

We find,

[ and ]
Mechanical Energy

The mechanical energy,

[]

The mechanical energy of a linear oscillator is indeed constant and

independent of time.
Do you
understand?
Interpreting E, K and U in SHM
 An oscillating block–spring system has a mechanical energy of 1.00 J, an amplitude of 10.0 cm, and a
maximum speed of 1.20 m/s. Find (a) the spring constant,(b) the mass of the block, and (c) the
frequency of oscillation.
Here, E = 1.00 J
A = 10.0 cm = 0.100 m
vm= = 1.20 m/s
(a)
k = = = 200 N/m
(b) E = K + U = mv2 + kx2
The maximum speed, vm is at the relaxed state, x = 0.
E = mvm2 + k(0)2 = mvm2
m = = = 1.39 kg

(c ) f = = = [/s]
[T =
 A 5.00 kg object on a horizontal frictionless surface is attached to a spring with k = 1000 N/m. The
object is displaced from equilibrium 50.0 cm horizontally and given an initial velocity of 10.0 m/s back
toward the equilibrium position. What are (a) the motion’s frequency, (b) the initial potential energy
of the block–spring system,(c) the initial kinetic energy, and (d) the motion’s amplitude?

Given:
m = 5.00 kg
k = 1000 N/m
xi = 50.0 cm = 0.500 m
vi = 10.0 m/s

f= = = = = 2.25 Hz
xi = 50 cm
[T= A= xm = 86.6 cm vi = 10.0 m/s
Application of SHM: The Simple Pendulum
• Restoring Force: [for small ]

• Comparing with Hooke’s law (F=-kx) we get the spring

constant

• Angular frequency:
• Frequency:
• Time Period:
Check Point!
14.7 Damped Oscillation:
• Real world system always have some dissipative
(damping) force, however, and oscillations die out
with time unless we replace the dissipated
mechanical energy. The decrease in amplitude
caused by dissipative force is called damping, and the
corresponding motion is called damped oscillation.

• This is differential equation of x and its solution gives

the displacement for damped oscillator.
• For small damping force, the displacement equation can be found as
[
𝒙 ( 𝒕 )= 𝑨 ⅇ
−(
𝟐 𝒎)
𝒃
𝒕
]𝒄𝒐𝒔 ( 𝝎 ′ 𝒕 + 𝝋 )

√ ( )
2
Amplitude: Angular Frequency: ′k b
ω= −
m 2m

Figure: The amplitude decreases exponentially with time.

 Mechanical Energy of Damped
Oscillation

The mechanical energy of damped oscillation is not constant but

decreases continuously, approaching zero after a long time. Because
damping force is nonconservative.
 Comparison between Damped Oscillation and SHM:
• Amplitude: not constant like the SHM
but varies exponentially over time. Fig.
shows that the larger the value of b, the
more quickly the amplitude decreases.
• Angular Frequency: is no longer equal
to the angular frequency of SHM, , but
is somewhat smaller.
• Mechanical Energy: is not constant like
the SHM but decreases continuously. Figure: Graph of displacement versus time
for an oscillator with little damping and
with phase angle
 Problem: For the damped oscillator system shown in Fig., with m = 250 g, k
= 85 N/m, and b = 70 g/s, what is the ratio of the oscillation amplitude at the
end of 20 cycles to the initial oscillation amplitude?
Here, m = 250 g= 0.250 kg
k = 85 N/m
b = 70 g/s = 0.070 kg/s

• The displacement of the damped oscillation is Fs

𝒙 ( 𝒕 )= [ 𝑨ⅇ
( −
𝒃
𝟐𝒎 )𝒕 ] 𝒄𝒐𝒔 ( 𝝎 ′
𝒕+𝝋) x
• Let the time period is So, time for 20 cycles, t = 20
Amplitude A = A rod Fd
• At t = 0,
Amplitude = A = A = A = A (1) = A v

Ratio of amplitudes
 =

= 0.34 s

Ratio of amplitudes 0.39

Problems for
Practice
• Periodic Motion: 14.3, 14.4, 14.5.
(University
• SHM: 14.16, 14.17, 14.18, 14.19.
Physics, • Energy in SHM: 14.27, 14.30.
Chapter 14)

 Students will solve the problems

with the help of their faculties.
Periodic
Motion:
Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM):
Energy
in
SHM: