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A-Level Physics > Oscillations > Flashcards

Oscillations Flashcards

1
Q

What is an oscillation?

A

The repetitive variation with time of the displacement of an object about the equilibrium position

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2
Q

What is displacement (x)?

A

The distance of a point on the wave from its equilibrium position

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3
Q

What is amplitude (x0)?

A

The maximum value of the displacement on either side of the equilibrium position

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4
Q

What is the period (T)?

A

The time interval for one complete oscillation to occur

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5
Q

What is frequency (F)?

A

The number of oscillations per second

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6
Q

What is phase difference?

A

A measure of how much a point or a wave is in front or behind another

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7
Q

What is angular frequency (ω)?

A

The rate of angular displacement with respect to time

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8
Q

What are the main angular frequency equations?

A

ω = 2pi / T
ω = 2pi f

T = time period
f = frequency

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9
Q

What is simple harmonic motion?

A

An oscillation where the acceleration of a body is proportional to its displacement but acts in the opposite direction

a ∝ - x

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10
Q

What are the 3 conditions for simple harmonic motion?

A
  • The acceleration is proportional to the displacement
  • The acceleration is in the opposite direction to the displacement
  • The acceleration is always directed towards the equilibrium position
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11
Q

What is the simple harmonic motion equation?

A

a = -ω^2 x

a = acceleration
ω = angular frequency ( rad s^-1)
x = displacement

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12
Q

What does an isochronous oscillation mean?

A

The period of the oscillation is independent of the amplitude

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13
Q

What type of oscillations occur when an oscillator is in simple harmonic motion?

A

Isochronous oscillations

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14
Q

How can you determine the period and frequency on SHM oscillations - using hanging masses?

A
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15
Q

How can you determine the period and frequency on SHM oscillations - using a pendulum?

A
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16
Q

What equation is used to find the position of an object in SHM when the object began oscillating at the equilibrium position?

A

x = A sin ωt

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17
Q

What equation is used to find the position of an object in SHM when the object began oscillating at the amplitude position?

A

x = A cos ωt

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18
Q

When does the maximum velocity of an oscillator occur?

A

At the equilibrium position

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19
Q

What is the velocity, angular frequency, amplitude and displacement equation?

A

where x0 = amplitude

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20
Q

What are the maximum velocity equations?

A

v = v0 cos ω
v0 = ωA

where v0 is maximum velocity

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21
Q

What is the SHM displacement-time graph?

A
22
Q

What is the SHM velocity-time graph?

A
23
Q

What is the SHM acceleration-time graph?

A
24
Q

What is energy constantly changing between for simple harmonic motion?

A

Between kinetic and potential energies

25
Q

What is the potential energy type for a pendulum?

A

Gravitational potential energy

26
Q

What is the potential energy type for a horizontal mass on a spring?

A

Elastic potential energy

27
Q

When is the KE at a maximum in SHM?

A

When the displacement equals 0 - equilibrium position

28
Q

Why is KE maximum at the equilibrium position?

A

Because velocity is maximum at equilibrium and KE = 1/2 mv^2

29
Q

When is KE zero during SHM?

A

At amplitude position

30
Q

When is potential energy at a maximum during SHM?

A

When the oscillator is at amplitude position

31
Q

What does the total energy of a simple harmonic system do?

A

Stays constant during oscillations - its constantly exchanges between kinetic and potential energies, when one increases the other decreases and vice versa

32
Q

What is the energy of a SHM oscillator equation?

A

E = 1/2 m ω^2 A^2

E = total energy of a simple harmonic system
m = mass of oscillator (kg)
ω = angular frequency (rad/s)
A = amplitude (m)

33
Q

What does the graph for energy against displacement look like for a simple harmonic system?

A
34
Q

What is a free oscillation?

A

An oscillation where there are only internal forces (and no external forces) acting, and there is no energy input

35
Q

What is a free vibration?

A

A vibration that always oscillates at its resonant frequency

36
Q

What is a forced oscillation?

A

Oscillations that are acted on by a periodic external force where energy is given in order to sustain oscillations

37
Q

Why do all systems eventually stop oscillating?

A

Because of resistive forces - such as friction or air resistance - that act in the opposite direction to the motion of oscillations

38
Q

What is damping?

A

The reduction in energy and amplitude of oscillations due to resistive forces on the oscillating system

39
Q

How long does damping have an effect for?

A

Until the oscillator comes to a stop

40
Q

What does not change when an oscillating system becomes damped?

A

The frequency - it remains the same with the decreasing amplitude

41
Q

What is light damping?

A

Damping that causes the amplitude to decrease gradually - it decays exponentially with time

42
Q

What is critical damping?

A

Damping that when displaced the oscillator will return to rest at its equilibrium position in the shortest possible time without oscillating

43
Q

What is heavy damping?

A

Damping that when displaced, the oscillator will take a long time to return to its equilibrium position with without oscillating

44
Q

What types of damping occur with no more oscillations happening?

A

Critical & heavy

45
Q

What is a driving frequency?

A

The frequency of forced oscillations

46
Q

What is natural frequency?

A

The frequency of an oscillation when the system is allowed to oscillate freely

47
Q

What is resonance?

A

When the frequency of the applied force to an oscillating system is equal to its natural frequency, the amplitude of the resulting oscillations increases significantly

48
Q

What does resonance look like graphically?

A
49
Q

What reduces the amplitude of resonance vibrations?

A

Damping

50
Q

What does different levels of damping when resonance occurs look like graphically?

A
51
Q

What are the purposes of resonance?

A
  • In an organ pipe - the air molecules resonate to an increase in amplitude of sound
  • Radio receivers - the resonance of the radio waves allows the signal to be amplified by the receiver to listen
  • Microwave oven

A-Level Physics (23 decks)

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