OSCILLATIONS

Chapter-13 OSCILLATIONS

Periodic and Oscillatory Motion

What is Periodic motion? Give example.

A motion that repeats itself at regular intervals of time is called periodic motion.
Ex: Motion of planets in solar system, uniform circular motion.

What is Oscillatory motion? Give example.

A motion in which a body moves to and fro between two extreme positions about an equilibrium
position is called oscillatory motion.
Ex: boat tossing up and down, piston of a steam engine, motion of simple pendulum.

What is the equilibrium (mean) position of an oscillation body?

It is the position of a body during oscillatory motion at which the net external force acting on the
body is zero OR It is the position, at which if it is at rest, it remains at rest forever.

Keep in mind
Oscillations or vibrations: The motion of a body between two extreme positions forms oscillations
or vibrations.
(i) There is no significant difference between oscillations and vibrations. When the frequency is
small we call it oscillation, while the frequency is high we call it vibrations.
(ii) Every oscillatory motion is periodic; but every periodic motion need not be oscillatory.

Importance of oscillatory motion: This motion is basic to physics. In musical instruments we come
across vibrating strings, membranes in drums and diaphragms in telephone and speaker system
vibrate, vibrations of air molecule, vibrations of atoms in solid include oscillatory motion. The
concepts of oscillatory motion are required to understand many physical phenomena listed above.

Define Period or Time period (T). Mention its SI unit.

The smallest interval of time after which a periodic motion repeats is called period.
In case of oscillation, the time taken by the body to complete one oscillation is called period.
SI unit of period is .

Define Frequency ( ). Mention its SI unit.

Number of times a periodic motion repeats per unit time is called frequency.
In case of oscillations, number of oscillations per unit time is called frequency.
SI unit of frequency is . oscillation per second.

Give the relation between period and frequency of periodic motion.

Relation between period and frequency is given by, ⁄ or ⁄

What is Displacement (x or y) in periodic motion?

The term displacement refers to change of physical quantity with time.
In periodic motion displacement may be linear as well as angular.
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What is linear displacement?
The straight line distance travelled by a particle from its equilibrium
position.

What is angular displacement?

It is the angle through which position vector of the body rotates in a given time.

Define amplitude (A).

The maximum displacement of the particle from its equilibrium position is called
amplitude.

Illustration:
(i) On an average a human heart is found to beat 75 times in a minute. Calculate its frequency
and period.

(ii) A particle takes to make oscillations. Calculate time period and frequency.

What is a periodic function? Give example.

Any function which repeats itself after a regular interval of time is called periodic function.
In periodic motion displacement is periodic function and it can be represented by a mathematical
function of time. The simplest of these functions is given by, .

Show that the value of the function remains same for a periodic function.
We have where is called the angular displacement.
In one revolution, the angle covered (angular displacement) by the reference particle is and
time period is .
If is increased by an integral multiple of radian, then

Hence the value of periodic function remains same.

Keep in mind
(i) In , the term is called angular frequency.

(ii) The function is also periodic.

(iii) The linear combination of both sine and cosine function is also periodic and it is represented
by and it is called Fourier series.
By putting, and
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√ ( )

Simple Harmonic motion

Define Simple harmonic motion (SHM).

The oscillatory motion is said to be simple harmonic, if the displacement of the particle from the
origin varies with time as; or .

Explain simple harmonic motion with and example and draw the displacement time graph.
Consider a particle oscillating back and forth about the origin along between the limits
and as shown. Here the motion of the particle is simple harmonic motion in which
displacement is a sinusoidal function of time.

What is Phase in periodic motion?

During the periodic motion, the position and velocity of the particle at any time is determined by
the term in cosine function. This quantity is called phase of the motion.

What is Phase constant (Phase angle)?

In term the term the value of phase at is and it is called the phase constant or
phase angle.

Illustration:
Find the time taken by the particle in going from to ⁄ where is amplitude.

( ) ( ) ( )

Show that the projection of uniform circular motion on a diameter of the circle follows simple
harmonic motion OR Compare Simple harmonic motion and uniform circular motion.
Consider a particle moving with a uniform sped along the circumference of circle of radius .
Let the particle start from the point with a constant speed .
After some time it reaches to .
Draw perpendicular to .
represents the projection of position vector of the particle on .
When the particle moves from to its projection of the position
vector moves from to . As the particle moves from to , its projection
moves from to . Similarly the particle moves from to via , its
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projection moves from to and to . This shows that if the particle moves uniformly on a
circle, its projection on the diameter ( ) of the circle executes SHM.
The position of the particle on the circle is given by,
The displacement of the projection on is given by, which is also SHM
with same amplitude but different in phase by ⁄ .

Arrive at the equation of SHM.

Consider a particle moving on a circle of radius with uniform velocity .
Let the particle start from and subtend an angle in time and reaches .

The projection of the particle on is,

If the particle starts from ,

Obtain the expression for velocity of the particle executing SHM.

We have,

Further, √

√ ( )

√
Negative sign shows that has a direction opposite to the positive direction of .

Mention the position where the velocity of a particle executing SHM is maximum and
minimum?
The equation √ tells that,
(i) When , - velocity is maximum at equilibrium (mean) position
(ii) When , - velocity is minimum at extreme position.

What is the phase difference between velocity

and displacement of a particle executing SHM?
Represent it on a graph.

Phase difference is or ⁄
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Obtain the expression for Acceleration of the particle executing SHM.
We have

Negative sign indicates that the direction of displacement and acceleration are opposite to each
other.

Mention the position where the acceleration of a particle executing SHM is maximum and
minimum?
The equation tells that,
(i) When , , acceleration is minimum at mean position.
(ii) when ,| | , acceleration is maximum at extreme position.

What is the phase difference between acceleration and displacement of a particle executing
SHM? Represent it on a graph.
Phase difference is or

Mention the characteristics of SHM.

(i) It is periodic motion.
(ii) It is to and fro motion about its mean position.
(iii) The acceleration is directly proportional to displacement.
(iv) The acceleration is always directed towards the mean position.

State Force law for SHM and hence obtain the expression for angular frequency.
In simple harmonic motion force is the proportional to the displacement of the particle and is
directed towards the mean position.
Acceleration of a particle executing SHM is given by,
From Newton’s second law,

Negative sign indicates that force and displacement are oppositely directed.

A particle oscillating under a force given by is called linear harmonic oscillator

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Derive the expression for kinetic energy and potential energy of a simple harmonic oscillator
and hence find its total energy OR Obtain the expression for energy in SHM.
A particle executing SHM possess,
(i) Kinetic energy - because it is moving.
(ii) Potential energy - because it is subjected to conservative force

[ ]

Explain the variation of kinetic and potential energies of a particle in SHM between zero and
their maximum values with diagram giving total energy.

At mean position kinetic energy is maximum and potential energy is zero.

At the extreme positions kinetic energy is zero and potential energy is maximum.

Derive an expression for time period of oscillation of a mass attached to a spring OR

Derive the expression for Time period of oscillating string.
Consider a block of mass attached to a spring.
If the block is pulled and released, it executes to and fro motion.
Let be the mean position of the block.
The restoring force of the block is given by,

( )
The standard equation for SHM is,
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Derive the expression for time period of Simple pendulum.

Consider a simple pendulum of mass tied to a string of length .
Let be the angle made by the string with the vertical.
The bob has two accelerations (i) radial acceleration
(ii) tangential acceleration
Radial acceleration provided by
Tangential acceleration provided by
Radial force gives zero torque.
| ⃗| | ⃗ ⃗ |

Negative sign indicates that the restoring torque tends to reduce angular displacement.
By Newton’s second law,

Comparing with,

√ √

Illustration:
(i) What is the length of a simple pendulum, which ticks second?

Here

(ii) A man with a wristwatch on his hand falls from the top of a tower. Does the watch give
correct time during the free fall? and why?
Yes, the clock gives correct time during free fall. The motion in the wristwatch depends on spring
action and has nothing to do with acceleration due to gravity.