CHAPTER-14 OSCILLATIONS

Periodic motion

Periodic motion is that motion which is repeated identically after a fixed

interval of time.

Eg. The revolution of earth around the sun. (1year)

The motion of moon around the earth. (27.3days)

Oscillatory motion

Oscillatory or vibratory motion is that motion in which a body moves to and

fro or back and forth repeatedly about a fixed position in a definite interval of
time,

Eg. The motion of the pendulum of a wall clock.

The motion of the bob of a simple pendulum when it is displaced once from
its mean position and left to itself.

 Every oscillatory motion is periodic, but every periodic motion need not
be oscillatory. Circular motion is a periodic motion, but it is not
oscillatory.

 There is no significant difference between

oscillations and vibrations. It seems that when the frequency is small, we
call it oscillation (like the oscillation of a branch of a tree), while when
the frequency is high, we call it vibration (like the vibration of a string)

some important definitions related to periodic motion

 a) Time period (T)

It is the least interval of time after which the periodic motion of a body

repeat itself.

SI unit-seconds.
  b) frequency (ѵ)

It is defined as the number of periodic motions executed by body per second.

ѵ =1/T

SI unit- Hertz (Hz)

c) Angular frequency (ώ)

It is equal to the product of frequency of the body with factor 2∏.

ώ=2∏ѵ= 2∏/T SI unit-rad/s

d) Displacement

 It refers to change with time of any physical property under

consideration.

 The displacement variable may take both positive and negative values.
In experiments on oscillations, the displacement is measured for
different times.

 Thus, the function f (t) is periodic with period T,

Periodic functions

 One of the simplest periodic functions is given by

 f (t) = A cos wt

 If the argument of this function, wt, is increased by an integral multiple

of 2∏ radians the value of the function remains the same.

 f (t ) = A sin wt.

The value of the function remains the same. The function

 f (t ) is then periodic and its period, T,

 T = 2∏

 SIMPLE HARMONIC MOTION

Simple harmonic motion is a special type of periodic motion , in which particle

moves to and fro repeatedly about a mean under a restoring force , which is
always directed towards the mean position and whose magnitude at any
instant is directly proportional to the displacement of the particle from the
mean position at that instant

F=-kx

Where k is known as force constant

This is known as force law in SHM.

 If changes on x axis, x = A cos wt

 y axis, y = A sin wt

 Mathematically a simple harmonic motion can be expressed by,

 f (t ) = A sin wt. =A sin2∏t

 f (t) = A cos wt. =A cos2∏t

T
  PHASE

Phase of a vibrating particle at any instant is a physical quantity which

completely expresses the position and direction of motion of the particle at
that instant with respect to its mean position.

y = A sin(wt +Ф)

y- displacement as function of time t.

A- amplitude

ώ- angular frequency

T- time period

wt +Ф – phase(time-dependent)

Ф – phase-constant

The phase difference between them is ∏ radians or 180֯

The phase difference between them is ∏/2 radians or 90֯

The phase difference between them is ∏/4 radians or 45֯

SIMPLE HARMONIC MOTION AND UNIFORM CIRCULAR MOTION OR
GEOMETRICAL INTERPRETATION OF SHM

 Consider a particle P starting from X is moving with uniform speed along

the circumference of a circle of radius A with centre o. The circle is
known as reference circle, and particle P is called reference particle P.

 Let X’OX and YOY’ be mutually perpendicular diameters of the reference

circle. Let at any time the reference particle be at point P, then the
projection on the diameter is at the point M. When the reference
particle moves on the circle from X to Y its projection on diameter YOY’
moves from O to Y. As reference particle moves from Y to X’, its
projection moves on diameter from Y to O. Similarly when the reference
particle moves on the circle from X’ to X via Y’, its projection moves on
diameter from O to Y’ and then from Y’ to O.

 Thus during the time, the particle P goes once around the circle and
completes one revolution, its projection M moves to and fro about the
point O along the diameter YOY’ and completes one vibration with O as
mean position.

 SHM is defined as the projection of uniform circular motion on any

diameter of a reference circle.
VELOCITY AND ACCELERATION IN SIMPLE HARMONIC MOTION

 Velocity

 The velocity of the particle executing SHM at any instant, is defined as

the time rate of change of its displacement at that instant.

 y= A sinώt

 v= dy/dt= d(A sinώt) d/dt (sinώt)= ώcos ώt

dt

=A ώ cosώt

=A ώcosϴ (from triangle OPM)

(cosϴ= adja/hypo= x/A= √A2 –y2 / A

v= A ώ √A2 –y2 / A

v= ώ √A2 –y2
  At mean position, y=0, v= A ώ√A2

 v= A ώ (max)

 At extreme positions, y=A, v=A ώ √A2 –A2

v=0 (min)

The velocity in SHM is not uniform. It is maximum at the mean position and
minimum at the extreme positions.

The maximum velocity is called velocity amplitude in SHM.

The direction of velocity is either towards the mean position or away from the
mean position.

(At mean position amplitude=0)

Acceleration

 The acceleration of the particle executing SHM at any instant is defined

as the time rate of change of its velocity at that instant.

 V= A ώ cosώt

 a=dv/dt= d(Aώ cosώt )

dt

=-Aώ 2 sinώt d/dt(A ώ cosώt )

=-Aώxώ sinώt

a =-ώ 2 (Asinώt)

a= -ώ 2 y
 FORCE LAW FOR SIMPLE HARMONIC MOTION

 Newton’s second law of motion relates the force acting on a system and
the corresponding acceleration produced. If we combine Newton’s
second law and acceleration in SHM

 F = ma

= – mώ 2 y

F = –k x y, where k= mώ 2

ώ = √k/m

Time period, T=2∏/ώ (ώ =2∏/T)

T=2∏√m/k

ENERGY IN SIMPLE HARMONIC MOTION

Consider a mass attached to a spring displaced through a distance A and

released. At a particular instant of time, it is at a distance y from the
equilibrium position. It has a velocity v. The body would have 2 types of
energies KE and PE. The total energy at any given instant should be a constant.
  KE= ½ m v2 = ½ mώ 2(A2 - y2)……..(1)

As v=ώ √(A2 - y2)

but ώ=√k/m, ώ 2 =k/m

mώ 2 =k ………(2)

Substitute eqn 2 in eqn1

KE= ½ k(A2 - y2)

PE of a spring, U=1/2 k y2

TE= KE+PE

= ½ k(A2 - y2) + ½ ky2

= ½ kA2 - ½ ky2 + ½ ky2

= ½ kA2

TE is a constant and this will be in SHM.

SOME SYSTEMS EXECUTING SHM

  A) Oscillations due to a spring

 Consider a body of mass m attached to one end of a light elastic

massless spring. Let the body be displaced towards right through a small
distance y. A restoring force F comes into play due to elastic nature of
the spring.

 F=-k y, Fαy (-ve towards mean position)

 Eqn 1 is same as the force law for SHM and system executes SHM.

 ώ=√k/m

Period of oscillation, T=2∏/√k/m

T=2∏√m/k

 B) SIMPLE PENDULUM

An ideal simple pendulum consists of heavy point mass body suspended by a

light inextensible spring from a rigid support, which it is free to oscillate.

In actual practise simple pendulum consists of a metallic bob suspended by a

long light cotton thread whose one end is fixed.

<ASO=ϴ
  In the displaced position, the following forces act,

 i) Weight mg of the bob acting downwards.

 ii) Tension T is directed to the point of suspension.

 The force-mg can be resolved into 2 components-

mg cosϴ along SA

mg sinϴ towards mean position.

The component mg cosϴ is balanced by tensionT. The only unbalanced force

is mg sinϴ .

Restoring force, F=- mg sinϴ ………(1)

F=-mgϴ …….(2)

Acceleration of the bob, a=F/m a= -mgϴ = -g ϴ

a=-g y ………(3)

( As ϴ= arc disp(y)

radius length(L)

 a=- ώ2 y ……(4) ( from std eqn)

a=-g y ………(3)

 Comparing eqn 3 and 4,

 ώ2 =g/L …….(5)

 Acceleration is directly proportional to displacement and is directed

towards the mean position . Hence the motion of the simple pendulum
is in SHM.
 Time period, T=2∏/ώ

 from eqn5, ώ =√g/L

 Time period, T=2∏/ώ= 2∏/ √g/L

 T=2∏√L/g

Damped oscillations

 The oscillations of simple harmonic system are said to be damped, if its

amplitude goes on decreasing with time.

 Eg) Oscillations of simple pendulum in air.

 Oscillation of the swing in the air.

Free oscillations

 When a body oscillates its own natural frequency, it is said to execute

free oscillations.

 Eg) When a stretched string is plucked, it executes free oscillations.

 When a tuning fork is struck against a rubber pad, the prongs execute
free oscillations.

Forced oscillations

 When a body is maintained in a state of oscillation by a strong periodic

force other than the natural frequency of the body, the oscillations are
called forced oscillations.
 Eg) Press the stem of vibrating tuning fork, against the top of tabla, the
tabla will execute forced oscillations.

 The sound boards of stringed instruments suffer forced oscillations.

Resonance

 The phenomenon of increase in amplitude when the frequency of the

driving force is close to the natural frequency of the oscillator is called
resonance.

 Eg. In resonance apparatus, the loud sound is heard, due to resonant

oscillations when the frequency of oscillations of the air column
becomes equal to the frequency of the vibrating tuning fork.