Entrance Corner

Chapter Summary

Different Equations in SHM:

  • Restoring Force: \(F=-k x\), where \(k\) is force constant.
  • Acceleration: \(a=\frac{F}{m}=-\left(\frac{k}{m}\right) x=-\omega^2 x\)
  • Angular frequency of SHM: \(\omega=\sqrt{\frac{k}{m}}\)
  • General solution of differential equation, \(\frac{d^2 x}{d t^2}=-\omega^2 x\) is \(x=A \sin (\omega t \pm \phi) \quad\) or \(\quad x=A \cos (\omega t \pm \phi)\)
    Here, \(x\) is displacement from mean position (not \(x\) coordinate), \(A\) is amplitude of oscillation or SHM, \(\phi\) is phase angle at \(t=0\) (also called, ‘initial phase’) and \((\omega t \pm \phi)\) is phase angle at a general time \(t\), also called instantaneous phase.
  • If \(x=A \sin \omega t\), then \(v=\frac{d x}{d t}=\omega A \cos \omega t\) and \(a=\frac{d v}{d t}\) \(=-\omega^2 A \sin \omega t\).
    From these three equations, we can see that \(x-t, v-t\) and \(a-t\), all three functions, have simple harmonical variations with the same angular frequency \(\omega\). Here, \(x\) oscillates between \(+A\) and \(-A, v\) between \(+\omega A\) and \(-\omega A\) and \(a\) between \(+\omega^2 A\) and \(-\omega^2 A\).
  • Phase difference between \(x-t\) and \(v-t\) functions or between \(v-t\) and \(a-t\) functions is \(\frac{\pi}{2}\). But the phase difference between \(x-t\) and \(a-t\) function is \(\pi\). \(v=\omega \sqrt{A^2-x^2}\) and \(a=-\omega^2 x\)
  • Potential energy \(=U_o+\frac{1}{2} k x^2 ;\) Kinetic energy \(=\frac{1}{2} k\) \(\left(A^2-x^2\right)\) and total mechanical energy \(=\mathrm{PE}+\mathrm{KE}\) \(=U_o+\frac{1}{2} k A^2\)
    Here, \(U_o\) is the minimum potential energy at the mean position, and \(\frac{1}{2} k A^2\) is called the energy of oscillation.
    Note: This much work is done on the system when displaced from mean position to extreme position. This much energy keeps on oscillating between potential and kinetic during oscillation.

Graphs Related to SHM

  • Potential energy versus \(x\) (\(U(x)=\frac{1}{2} k x^2\)) or kinetic energy versus \(x\) (\(K(x)=\frac{1}{2} m v^2\))graph is parabola.
    Since \(E={K}({x})+{U}({x})\), we can write \({K}({x})={E}-{U}({x})\).
    Substituting \(U(x)=\frac{1}{2} k x^2\), we get \(K(x)=E-\frac{1}{2} k x^2\).
    This equation is also a quadratic function of \(x\), representing a downward-opening parabola when graphed.
    Total energy \({E}\) is constant and does not depend on position \(x\). Therefore, the graph of \(E\) versus \(x\) is a horizontal straight line.

         

  • The average value of potential energy for the complete cycle is given by
    \(
    \begin{aligned}
    U_{\text {average }} & =\frac{1}{T} \int_0^T U d t=\frac{1}{T} \int_0^T \frac{1}{2} m \omega^2 A^2 \sin ^2(\omega t+\phi) d t \\
    & =\frac{1}{4} m \omega^2 A^2
    \end{aligned}
    \)
  • The average value of kinetic energy for the complete cycle
    \(
    \begin{aligned}
    K_{\text {average }} & =\frac{1}{T} \int_0^T K d t=\frac{1}{T} \int_0^T \frac{1}{2} m \omega^2 A^2 \cos ^2 \omega t d t \\
    & =\frac{1}{4} m \omega^2 A^2
    \end{aligned}
    \)
    Thus average values of kinetic energy and potential energy of harmonic oscillator are equal and each equal to half of the total energy \(K_{\text {avenge }}=U_{\text {average }}=\frac{1}{2} E=\frac{1}{4}\) \(m \omega^2 A^2\)

Important Points: All the three quantities displacement, velocity and acceleration show simple harmonic variation with time having same period.

  • The velocity amplitude is times the displacement amplitude.
  • The acceleration amplitude is \(\omega^2\) times the displacement amplitude.
  • In SHM the velocity is ahead of displacement by a phase angle \(\pi / 2\).
  • The acceleration is ahead of velocity by a phase angle of \(\pi / 2\).
  • The acceleration is ahead of displacement by a phase angle of \(\pi\).

Spring-block System

  • \(\omega=\sqrt{\frac{k}{m}} ; \quad T=\frac{2 \pi}{\omega}=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k}} ; \quad v=\frac{1}{T}=\frac{1}{2 \pi} \sqrt{\frac{k}{m}}\)
  • In all three cases, \(T=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k}}\) If the spring has a mass \(M\) and mass \(m\) is suspended from it, effective mass is given by \(m_{\text {eff }}=m+\frac{M}{3}\) Hence \(T=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{m_{\mathrm{eff}}}{k}}\)

       

  • If \(n\) springs of different force constant are connected in parallel having force constant \(k_1, k_2, k_3, \ldots\) respectively then,
    \(
    k_P=k_1+k_2+k_3+\cdots
    \)
    If all spring have the same spring constant then \(k_p=n k\)
    Time period of combination \(T_P=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k_P}}\)

       

  • If \(n\) springs of different force constants are connected in series having force constant \(k_1, k_2, k_3, \ldots\) respectively then
    \(
    \frac{1}{k_s}=\frac{1}{k_1}+\frac{1}{k_2}+\frac{1}{k_3}+\cdots
    \)
    If all spring have the same spring constant then \(k_s=\frac{k}{n}\)
    Time period of combination \(T=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k_s}}\)

       

  • In the case of two-body oscillation
    \(
    \begin{aligned}
    & T=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{\mu}{k}} ; \text { where, } \mu=\text { Reduced mass of two blocks } \\
    & =\frac{m_1 m_2}{m_1+m_2} .
    \end{aligned}
    \)

       

  • A plank of mass \(m\) and area of cross-section \(A\) is floating in a liquid of density \(\rho\). When depressed, it starts oscillating like a spring-block system.
    Effective value of \(k\) in this case is
    \(
    k=\rho A g \quad \therefore T=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{\rho A g}}
    \)

       

  • If mass of spring \(m_s\) is also given, then \(T=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{m+\frac{m_s}{3}}{k}}\)
  • Every wire is also like a spring of force constant given by \(k=\frac{Y A}{l}\), where \(Y\) is the Young’s modulus of the wire, \(A\) is cross-sectional area and \(l\) is the length of the wire.
  • Spring cut into two parts :

       

\(
\quad \quad \quad \text { Here } \frac{\ell_1}{\ell_2}=\frac{\mathrm{m}}{\mathrm{n}} \ell_1=\left(\frac{\mathrm{m}}{\mathrm{~m}+\mathrm{n}}\right) \ell, \ell_2=\left(\frac{\mathrm{n}}{\mathrm{~m}+\mathrm{n}}\right) \ell
\)
\(
\quad \quad \quad \text { But } \mathrm{k} \ell=\mathrm{k}_1 \ell_1=\mathrm{k}_2 \ell_2 \Rightarrow \mathrm{k}_1=\frac{(\mathrm{m}+\mathrm{n})}{\mathrm{m}} \mathrm{k} ; \mathbb{k}_2=\frac{(\mathrm{m}+\mathrm{n})}{\mathrm{n}} \mathrm{k}
\)

  • If an ideal, uniform, and massless spring of length \(l\) and spring constant \(k\) is cut into two pieces, such that \(l_1 / l_2=\) \(n\), then the spring constant of the part having length \(l_1\) and \(l_2\) are respectively
    \(
    k_1=(1+1 / n) k ; k_2=(1+n) k
    \)
    The spring constant of a spring is inversely proportional to its length.
    \(
    \text { i.e., } k_1 l_1=k_2 l_2=k_3 l_3 \ldots =k l \text {. }
    \)
    If the length of the spring is cut into \(N\) equal parts, then the spring constant of each part becomes \((N k)\), i.e., if the length of spring is halved its spring constant will become two times.

       

  • The time of a spring pendulum is independent of acceleration due to gravity. That is why a clock based on spring pendulum will keep proper time everywhere on a hill or moon or in a satellite and the time period of a spring pendulum will not change inside a liquid if damping effects are neglected.

In accelerating cage

\(
g_{\text {eff }}=g+a \quad \quad \quad \quad \quad \quad g_{\text {eff }}=g-a \quad \quad \quad \quad \quad \quad g_{\text {eff }}=\sqrt{g^2+a^2}
\)
\(
T=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{\ell}{g+a}} \quad \quad \quad \quad \quad T=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{\ell}{g-a}} \quad \quad \quad \quad \quad T=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{\ell}{\left(g^2+a^2\right)^{1 / 2}}}
\)

Simple and Compound Pendulum

Pendulum

  • Only small oscillations of a pendulum are simple harmonic in nature. Time period of it is given by
    \(
    T=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{g}}
    \)
  • Time period of a pendulum of the length of the order of radius of the earth is \(T=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{1}{g\left(\frac{1}{l}+\frac{1}{R}\right)}}\).
    From here, we can see that \(T=2 \pi \frac{R}{g}\) or 84.6 min if \(l \rightarrow \infty\).
    Hence, time period of a pendulum of infinite length is \(2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{R}{g}}\) or 84.6 min.
    Further, \(T=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{g}}\) if \(l \ll R\) or \(\frac{1}{l} \gg \frac{1}{R}\).
  • If point of suspension has an acceleration \(\vec{a}\), then
    \(
    T=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{\left|\vec{g}_e\right|}} \quad \text { Here } \vec{g}_e=\vec{g}-\vec{a}=\vec{g}+(-\vec{a})
    \)
    For example, if the point of suspension has an upward acceleration \(\vec{a}\), then \((\vec{a})\) is downwards or parallel to \(\vec{g}\). Hence,
    \(
    |\vec{g}|=g+a \quad \text { or } \quad T=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{g+a}}
    \)
  • If a constant force \(\vec{F}\) (in addition to weight and tension) acts on the bob, then,
    \(
    T=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{\left|\vec{g}_e\right|}} \quad \text { Here, } \quad \vec{g}_e=\vec{g}+\frac{\vec{F}}{m}
    \)
  • Second pendulum: Time period =2 seconds, Length \(\approx 1\) meter (on earth’s surface)

Physical Pendulum

\(
T=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{I}{m g {\ell}}}=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{\frac{{k}^2}{\ell}+\ell}{\mathrm{g}}}
\)
\(
\text { where } I_{\mathrm{cm}}={mk}^2
\)
Here, \(I=\) Moment of inertia of the body about the point of suspension,
\({\ell}=\) Separation between the point of suspension and the centre of mass.

Time period of Conical pendulum

\(
{T}=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{\ell \cos \theta}{{~g}}}=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{{~h}}{{~g}}}
\)

Time period of Torsional pendulum

\(\mathrm{T}=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{{I}}{{k}}}\) where \({k}=\) torsional constant of the wire
\(\mathrm{I}=\) moment of inertia of the body about the vertical axis

Some Other Important Points Concerning SHM

  • The simple harmonic oscillations may also be expressed as \(y=A \sin \omega t+B \cos \omega t\), where \(A\) and \(B\) are constants related to the amplitude. We can write, \(y=A \sin \omega t+B \cos \omega t=A_R \sin (\omega t+\phi)\)
    where \(A_R=\sqrt{A^2+B^2}\) and \(\tan \phi=(B / A)\).
  • If a particle executes simple harmonic oscillations, then its velocity as well as acceleration also vary simple harmonically, and velocity amplitude \(=\omega \times\) Displacement amplitude and acceleration amplitude \(=\omega \times\) Velocity amplitude \(=\omega^2 \times\) Displacement amplitude.
  • In SHM, (a) \(a\) leads \(y\) by \(\pi / 2\) phase; (b) \(a\) lags behind the \(v\) by \(\pi / 2\) phase; (c) \(a\) differs in phase with \(y\) by \(\pi\) phase.
  • When KE of SHM is \(50 \%\) of the total energy, the displacement is \(71 \%\) of the amplitude. At this stage, \(\mathrm{KE}=\) PE.
  • Under weightlessness or in the freely falling lift \(T=2 \pi \sqrt{L / 0}=\infty\). This means the pendulum does not oscillate at all.
  • The \(y, v, a\) of SHM vary simple harmonically with the same time period and frequency.
  • The KE as well as PE vary periodically but not simple harmonically in SHM. The frequency of KE or the PE is just two times that of \(y, v\) or \(a\).
  • If the lower surface of a cube of side \(L\) and modulus of rigidity \(\eta\) is fixed while fixing a particle of mass \(m\) on the upper face, a force parallel to upper face is applied to mass \(m\) and then withdrawn, the mass \(m\) can oscillate with a time period, \(T=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{\eta L}}\).
  • If a wire of length \(L\), area of cross-section \(A\), Young’s modulus \(Y\) is stretched by suspending a mass \(m\), then the mass can oscillate with time period, \(T=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{m L}{Y A}}\).
  • If a simple pendulum is suspended from the roof of a compartment of a train moving down an inclined plane of inclination \(\theta\), then the time period of oscillation is,
    \(
    T=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{L}{g \cos \theta}}
    \)
  • If a ball of radius \(r\) oscillates in a bowl of radius \(R\), then its time period of oscillation is, \(T=2 \pi \sqrt{\left(\frac{R-r}{g}\right)}\)
  • If a simple pendulum oscillates in a non-viscous liquid of density \(\sigma\), then its time period is given by
    \(
    T=2 \pi \sqrt{\frac{L}{\left(1-\frac{\sigma}{\rho}\right) g}}
    \)
  • If the mass \(m\) attached to a spring oscillates in a nonviscous liquid of density \(\sigma\), then its time period is given by: \(T=2 \pi\left[\frac{m}{k}\left(1-\frac{\sigma}{\rho}\right)\right]^{1 / 2}\) (where \(k=\) Force constant, \(\rho=\) Density of suspended mass)

You cannot copy content of this page