AP3204 Topic 1 (1/2)

VIBRATIONS
Free
damped and
forced

Examples

2. Compound pendulum

1. Simple pendulum

4.Torsional Pendulum

3. Mixed modes

Examples
5. Between two atoms

6. LCR circuit

7. piston moving in a cylinder

8. A mass attached to a spring on a

frictionless track moves in simple
harmonic motion.

Q Did you notice

these examples have much in common? What are they?

Simple Harmonic Motion (s.h.m.)

Definition:
Simple harmonic motion of a
mechanical system corresponds
to the oscillation of an object
between two points for an indefinite
period of time, with no loss in
mechanical energy.
An object exhibits simple harmonic
motion if the net external force acting
on it is a linear restoring force:

F = -kx

Simple Harmonic Motion (s.h.m.)

- Sign and feature of the force
Q Why minus sign?
Without the minus sign the
acceleration will continually
increase as x, so the particle
will keep on moving faster
and faster away from its
original position.
With the minus sign an
oscillation will occur.
Q What kind of force is needed?

Simple Harmonic Motion (s.h.m.)

- Mathematical expression

F = -kx

From

and Newton's 2nd law:

we have

F = ma

x+ x = 0
2

d 2x
a =
=
x
dt 2

k
m

2
: Angular frequency, the constant in the s.h.m.
=

equation. It defines the time taken for an oscillation

T

Simple Harmonic Motion (s.h.m.)

- Mathematical expression

Solution of

x+ 2x = 0

x = A sin(t + )
Q

Can you give other solutions of x?

Simple Harmonic Motion (s.h.m.)

- Alternative solutions for s.h.m.

Acos( t + )

Bcost + Csint
De it + D* e it
Re[ Ae it ]

x+ 2x = 0

Check that these satisfy the equation.

How are B and C related to A and ?

Simple Harmonic Motion (s.h.m.)

- Velocity and acceleration

From

x = A sin( t + )

v = x = A cos( t + )
=

(A2 x2)

a = &x& = A 2 sin(t + )

Simple Harmonic Motion (s.h.m.)

- Terminology

x = A sin(t + )
A few terms relative to harmonic motions:
1. The amplitude A: maximum distance that an object
moves away from its equilibrium positions.

2. The period T: the time for one complete cycle of the

motion.

3. The frequency : the number of cycles or vibrations

per unit of time.

4. Phase angle : the fraction of a cycle (2); the

oscillation is out of phase with some reference time.

Simple Harmonic Motion (s.h.m.)

- Graphical representation
An experimental apparatus
for demonstrating simple
harmonic motion.
- A pen attached to the
oscillating mass traces out a
sine wave on the moving
chart paper.

Q Can you find if its

trace is consistent with
its mathematical
representation?

Simple Harmonic Motion (s.h.m.)

- Graphical representation

y = A sin(t + )
y

2
T

=0
The value of the
phase constant
depends on the
initial displacement
and initial velocity
of the body.

Simple Harmonic Motion (s.h.m.)

- What will graphs for velocity and acceleration look like?

The velocity graph will be a cosine curve with amplitude A.

v = x = A cos( t + )
The acceleration graph will be a minus sine curve with amplitude
2A.

a = x = A 2 sin( t + )

Q Is angular frequency different from angular velocity?

~v
Yes.

Angular velocity is the rate of rotation around a fixed point.

For instance a swinging pendulum has a variable angular
velocity but a constant angular frequency.
A mass vibrating on a spring has no angular velocity.
Only in the case of a particle moving steadily around a
circle are the two quantities correlated constants.

Why is s.h.m. important?

Any oscillation can be modelled as

being made up of a number of s.h.m. components
which can be analysed separately and
then recombined using the Principle of Superposition.

x(t) = x 1 (t) + x 2 (t) + etc

Fourier theorem
Fourier theorem: Any periodic function can be
expressed as a sum of the sine and cosine functions
whose frequencies increase in the ratio of natural
numbers. i.e.
f(t+nT
)=f(t);
f(t+nT)=f(t);

n=0, 1, 2, 3,

can be expanded in the form:

f (t ) =

1
a0 + an cos(nt ) + bn sin(nt )
2
n =1
n =1
2
=
T

f (t ) =

1
a0 + an cos(nt ) + bn sin(nt )
2
n =1
n =1

where

2
an =
T

t 0 +T

2
bn =
T

f (t ) cos ntdt

n=0, 1, 2,

t0

t 0 +T

f (t ) sin ntdt

n=1, 2, 3,

t0

(t0 is arbitrary, may be 0)

Example
Modeling a Square Wave
The important predictions of
Fourier theorem can be illustrated
by discussing the analytically simple
example of a square vibration.

Sample problem:
Fourier expand the function defined by the following
equation:
f(t) = -A

for T/2 < t < 0

= +A

for 0 < t < T/2

f(t+T) = f(t)
Ans: As the function is an odd function, an = 0

T /2

bn =

2
2A
2 A sin ntdt =
1 (1) n
T 0
n

f (t ) =

2A

4A

1
1 (1) n sin nt
n =1, 2,3,... n

[sin t + 13 sin 3t + 15 sin 5t + ...]

s1 =

sin t

s2 =

S1

f (t)

4A

4A

[sin t + 13 sin 3t ]
...

- 1.5

-1

- 0.5

S3
S2

0.5

1.5

t
T

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Other cases of SHM

1. Simple pendulum

2. Compound pendulum
A uniform rod of
mass m and length
L is pivoted about
one end and
oscillates in a
vertical plane.
Assume its moment
of inertia is J.

3.Torsional Pendulum
A rigid body suspended by a wire attached at the top of a
fixed support. When the body is twisted through some small
angle , the twisted wire exerts a restoring torgue on the
body proportional to the angular displacement.

(A) Write down the equation of motion for

each of the following cases.
(B) What are their natural frequencies?

Sample problem: Simple pendulum

F s = mg sin = m

d 2s
dt 2

s = L
For small : sin ~

mL + mg = 0

L + g = 0

= m sin( t + )

g
L

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Sample problem: Compound pendulum

Assume its moment of inertia is J.
Moment produced by gravity:
mg sin L/2
Rotation: Jd2 /dt2

J+

mgL
= 0
2

= m sin( t + )
=

mgL
2J

A uniform rod of mass m and length L

is pivoted about one end and oscillates
in a vertical plane.

Sample problem: Torsional Pendulum

The angular displacement: -c
c is torsion constant.
According to Newtons law for
rotational motion
-c = Jd2 /dt2

J + c = 0

= m sin( t + )
=

c
J

A rigid body suspended by a

wire attached at the top of a
fixed support. When the body is
twisted through some small
angle , the twisted wire exerts
a restoring torgue on the body
proportional to the angular
displacement.

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Energy in an S.H.M.
S.H.M. represents an ideal vibration where there
is no energy loss, so the sum of KE to PE stays
constant..
Continual cycle from KE to PE and back again.
At any one time the total energy is the sum of the
kinetic energy plus the potential energy.
The maximum KE
Q

1
2
(KE)max = m0 A2
2

What is the value of PEmax?

Energy in an S.H.M.
Q
Q

Where is KE a maximum?
Where is PE a maximum?

Variation of potential energy, kinetic energy and total energy

with displacements for a pendulum

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Energy in an S.H.M.
How do these energies vary with time?
The variation will be as sin2t and cos2t
i.e.

Epot = E0 sin2t
Ekin = E0 cos2t
Etotal= E0 sin2t + E0 cos2t = E0

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Sample problem: Oscillations on a Surface

A 0.5 kg cube connected to a light spring for which the
force constant is 20.0 N/m oscillates on a horizontal,
frictionless track. (a) Calculate the maximum speed of the
cube and the total energy of the system if the amplitude
of the motion is 3.0 cm. (b) What is the velocity of the
cube when the displacement is 2.0 cm?
Solution:
(a)
k

20
= 6.32 / s
0.5

(b) x=2.cm
x=Acost
sint=(1-x2/A2)1/2
V=Asint
=0.036.320.745
=0.141 m/s

Vmax= A=0.03(20.0/0.5)1/2
=0.190m/s
E=K+U=Kmax=Umax
Kmax=m(Vmax)2=0.50.50.1902=9.010-3J

SUMARRY Free vibrations

Simple Harmonic Motion (s.h.m.)
Graphical representation of system behaviour
Examples of s.h.m. systems
Vibration energy - Energy in an S.H.M.

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