Oscillation: It is vibration /to and fro motion/ back and forth motion of a particle from its mean position.

We have plenty examples in our day to day life where oscillations take place. All oscillations are repeated
motions after the regular time interval. So they are called periodic motion.

1. Swing 2. Oscillation of
2. pendulum 3. Tunning fork 4. Guitar string
floating body
 Two types of oscillations

Free oscillations Forced oscillations

• Vibration takes place freely after initial
disturbance. • Vibration takes place under some external applied forces .
• No other forces are involved. • Continuous force is required
• No hindrances or resistive force acts on • Continuous loss of energy to the surroundings
the system.
• No loss of energy
• Frequency is called natural frequency
Test yourself

Cymbal
 Terms related to oscillations

1. Mean position/equilibrium position/undisturbed position

2. Displacement

3. Velocity
1. Acceleration

2. Extreme positions

3. Restoring force

1. Sign conventions
 Simple Harmonic Motion

Definition:
Period motion in which acceleration (a) is directly proportional to the displacement (x) and
always directed towards the mean position. It means acceleration and displacement are
always in opposite directions.

Mathematically,

a α – x, where a is acceleration and x is displacement from mean position.

- ve sign means acceleration and displacement are in opposite directions.
 Cause of SHM is restoring force
Force that tries to bring the object in its mean positon is restoring
force.

gravity elasticity of spring upthrust

Examples of SHM
 Relation between uniform circular motion and SHM
(Circle of reference)

screen

Light beam
SHM
Connection between linear motion(shm) and circular motion
 Displacement (x) = 𝑥𝑜 sin ω t
https://youtu.be/uM2HpLBVAkA
screen

ωt

x
Light beam ωt
SHM
 Equations in shm
Displacement(x) – distance of a particle from the mean positon
x = 𝑥𝑜 sin ω t x = 𝑥𝑜 sin (ω t+φ)

ωt

x
ωt
x = 𝑥𝑜 sin (ω t+φ)
 Velocity in shm

Velocity – rate of change in displacement of a particle.

v= 𝑥𝑜 ω cos ω t
 Acceleration in SHM

acceleration(a) – rate change in velocity of a particle.

a= −𝑥𝑜 ω2 sin ω t =- ω2 x
 Acceleration- time graph SHM

a =- ω2 x

Gradient of a-t graph = ω2

Therefore, ω= 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑎 − 𝑡 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑝ℎ

Graphical Representation

𝑥 = 𝑥𝑜 sin ω t

v = 𝑥𝑜 ω sin ω t

𝑎 = 𝑥𝑜 ω2sin ω t
 Period in shm(T)
It is a time taken to make one complete oscillation.

Frequency in shm(f)

It is a number of complete oscillation per second. It is reciprocal of period.

1
f=
𝑇

Angular Frequency in shm(ω)

It is a frequency expressed in angle .
2π
Mathematically, ω = = 2π𝑓
𝑇
 Phase and difference (φ)
Phase of a particle at any instant of time, indicates the position and
direction of vibration of the particle.

Phase difference between two particles means by what fraction of a

cycle (complete oscillation) of the motion of one particle is leading or
lagging by another particle.

Phase difference by one complete cycle = 2 π rad = 360o

Phase difference by half complete cycle = π rad = 180o
Phase difference by one forth of complete cycle = π/2 rad = 90o
Particles in different Phases
Energy of a particle in SHM= K.E. + P.E.
1 1
K.E. = m ω 2 (𝑥𝑜2 -𝑥 2 ) P.E.= m ω 2 𝑥 2
2 2
 Motion of simple pendulum is SHM
In simple pendulum,
Restoring force (F) = - mg sinϴ
( -ve sign indicates that F and ϴ
are in opposite directions)
According to Newton’s second law,
F= ma ( m and a are mass and acceleration)
Then,
m a = - m g sin ϴ
a = - g ϴ ( for small oscillation ϴ
is very small so ϴ ≈ sin ϴ )
𝑥
a = -g
𝐿
= - (𝑔𝐿 )𝑥………(i)
𝑔
aα–x ( = constant )
𝐿
• Accelerations is directly proportional to displacement and directed towards mean position.
Defining equation of shm is a = - ω2 x …….(ii)
Comparing equation (i) and (ii)
𝑔 𝑔
ω2 = ω=
𝐿 𝑙

𝑔 1 𝑔
2π f = 𝐿
f=
2π 𝐿
( longer the length means slower the oscillations)
𝐿
T = 2π
𝑔
Vertical motion of mass spring system is SHM

Extension of spring due mass m = e

So restoring force F = - ke
mg = ke
Total extension (due to weight + extra force) = e+x
Total restoring force (F’’) = - k (e+x)

Net restoring force for oscillation (F)= F’’-F’

F = - k ( e+x) – (-ke)
ma = -kx
𝑘 𝑘
a = - x, …….(i) where is constant )
𝑚 𝑚
aα–x

Accelerations is directly proportional to displacement

and directed towards mean position.
Defining equation of shm is a = - ω2 x …….(ii)
Comaring equation (i) and (ii)
2 𝑘
 2 𝑘 𝑘
ω = , ω =
𝑚 𝑚

𝑘 1 𝑘
2π f = 𝑚
, f=
2π 𝑚
( greater the value of k means faster the oscillations)

𝑚 𝑒
T = 2π =2π ( mg= ke)
𝑘 𝑔
 Free oscillations-Oscillation without any resistive forces
( i.e. friction, air resistance, viscous drag( liquid friction)

No loss of
energy

Characteris No decrease
tics of free in
oscillation amplitude

Never dies
oscillations
 Damped oscillation – resistive forces opposes the
motion ( friction, air resistance, liquid friction)
A reduction in the amplitude of an
oscillation as a result of energy being continuous
drained from the system to overcome
frictional or other resistive forces is called loss of
damping.
energy

decrease in
Characteristics
amplitude
of damped
oscillations
oscillations
dies soon
The amplitude of damped oscillations does not decrease linearly. It decreases
exponentially with time. An exponential decay s a particularly mathematical pattern
that arises as follows:
(i) At the beginning, the swing moves rapidly so it has to overcome huge amount of
air resistance and hence its amplitude decrease rapidly.
(ii) Later it moves slowly so has less air resistance hence energy is lost at slow rate.

Note: during damping, the amplitude or energy of the system decreases but not
frequency.
 Types of damping

Light Heavy Critical

damping damping damping
 Characteristics of light damping:

1. Loses energy to the surroundings continuously in each cycle.

2. Completes many cycles before coming at rest.

Card board

3. Amplitude decreases exponentially.

Heavily Damping:

 Damping in which oscillator loses its energy very slowly.

 Takes long time to return to equilibrium position.
 It does not make any complete oscillation.

Example: Motion of simple pendulum in high density liquid

Critical damping:
Damping in which oscillator returns in its equilibrium position as quickly as
possible. i.e. about one quarter of period.
Does not overshoot from the equilibrium position.\

Examples:
• Doors used in commercial buildings/ banks etc.
• Car suspension system.
• Car suspension system.

• In shock absorber, the motion of suspension up and down is

opposed by viscous forces when the liquid passes through the
transfer tube from one side to the piston to the other. The
damping of a car can be tested by applying your weight to the
suspension momentarily. The car should rapidly return to its
original position without vibrating more so car ride becomes
comfortable.

• Energy absorbed during the damping results heating the liquid

and released from the system.
Graphical representation for different cases
 Forced oscillations

oscillations
with an
external
periodic force
It compensates the loss of energy by the system hence
oscillation is maintained.
Response of an oscillatory system to the external force

The amplitude/energy of an oscillation depends on the frequency of driving force.

For particular frequency of driving force ( force frequency) applied on the oscillator causes to increase the
amplitude to the maximum.

Natural frequency( f0) – The frequency of an oscillator in free oscillation

- every oscillator has its own natural frequency.

For example: natural frequency of simple pendulum,

1 𝑔
f0 =
2π 𝐿

Force frequency(f) – number of times external force applied to an oscillator per second.

Driving force can transfer maximum energy to the oscillator in force oscillation when there is resonance.
Resonance
phenomenon of matching frequency of force vibration to the natural
frequency of oscillation is called resonance.

What happens in
resonance?

Driving force adds up Amplitude of the Oscillators having

energy to the oscillator increases more energy is
oscillator or oscillator and system will have sometimes risky and
is capable of receiving maximum energy. some times useful.
energy from driver.
Barton’s Pendulum

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=barton%27s+
pendulum+experiment
 Risky ( Disadvantages)

Army troops are ordered to break their steps of

Breaking of wine glass by sound
marchpast while passing suspension bridge
Building collapse in earthquake Window panels rattles when an aero plane flies past nearby
Tacoma Bridge Collapse ( 1940 AD)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XggxeuFDaDU
 Benefits (Advantages)
• Baby becomes happy in a swing.

• Food is cooked in microwave oven

• Particular channel is tuned in radio or TV sets

 Magnetic Resonance imaging (MRI)
Test yourself-1
Test yourself-2

The plate undergoes SHM with the frequency of 4.5 Hz and amplitude 3.0 mm. A metal cube of mass
5.8 g rest on the plate.
(a) Calculate for the cube, the energy of oscillation.
(b) The amplitude of oscillation of the plate is gradually increased but frequency remains
constant. At particular amplitude the cube just loses the contact momentarily with the plate.
(i) State the position of the plate in its oscillation where the cube loses the contact.
(ii) Calculate this amplitude.
Test yourself-3