Terms and Formulae
Terms
Oscillating system
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Any system that always experiences a force acting against the displacement of
the system (restoring force).
Restoring force
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A force that always acts against the displacement of the system.
Periodic Motion
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Any motion in which a system returns to its initial position at a later time.
Amplitude
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The maximum displacement of an oscillating system.
Period
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The time it takes for a system to complete one oscillation.
Frequency
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The rate at which a system completes an oscillation.
Hertz
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The unit of measurement of frequency.
Angular Frequency
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The radian measure of frequency: frequency times 2π.
Simple Harmonic Motion
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Any motion that experiences a restoring force proportional to the
displacement of the system.
Formulae
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Relation between variables of oscillation
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ω = 2πν =
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Force exerted by a spring with constant k
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F = - kx
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Differential equation describing simple harmonic motion
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+ x = 0
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Formula for the period of a mass-spring system
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T = 2π
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Formula for the frequency of a mass-spring system
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ν =
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Formula for the angular frequency of a mass-spring system
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ω =
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Equation for the displacement in simple harmonic motion
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x = xmcos(ωt)
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Equation for the velocity in simple harmonic motion
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v = ωxmsin(ωt)
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Equation for the acceleration in simple harmonic motion
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a = ω2xmcos(ωt)
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Equation for the potential
energy of a simple
harmonic system
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U = kx2
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