Topic 4: Oscillations and waves Flashcards
Describe examples of oscillations
- Mass moving between two horizontal springs
- Mass moving on a vertical spring
- Simple pendulum
- Buoy bouncing up and down in water
- An oscillating ruler as a result of one end being displaced while the other is fixed
Describe where the kinetic energy and potential energy store of a mass moving between two horizontal springs is.
Kinetic energy: Moving mass
Potential energy: Elastic potential energy in the springs
Describe where the kinetic energy and potential energy store of a mass moving on a vertical spring is.
Kinetic energy: Moving mass
Potential energy: Elastic potential energy in the springs and gravitational potential energy
Describe where the kinetic energy and potential energy store of a simple pendulum is.
Kinetic energy: Moving pendulum bob
Potential energy: Gravitational potential energy of bob
Describe where the kinetic energy and potential energy store of a buoy bouncing up and down in water is.
Kinetic energy: Moving buoy
Potential energy: Gravitational potential energy of buoy and water
Describe where the kinetic energy and potential energy store of an oscillating ruler as a result of one end being displaced while the other is fixed is.
Kinetic energy: Moving sections of the ruler
Potential energy: Elastic potential energy of the bent ruler
Define: displacement (in terms of SHM).
The instantaneous distance of the moving object from its mean position in a specified direction.
What is the standard index measurement for displacement?
metres, m
What is the symbol for displacement (in terms of SHM)?
x
Define: amplitude (in terms of SHM).
The maximum displacement from the mean position.
What is the standard index measurement for amplitude?
metres, m
What is the symbol for amplitude (in terms of SHM)?
A
Define: frequency (in terms of SHM).
The number of oscillations completed per unit time.
What is the standard index measurement for frequency?
number of cycles per second or Hertz, Hz
What is the symbol for frequency (in terms of SHM)?
f
What is the defining equation for frequency?
Where:
f is the frequency in Hz
T is the period in seconds
Define: period (in terms of SHM)
The time taken for one complete oscillation.
What is the standard index measurement for period?
seconds, s
What is the symbol for period (in terms of SHM)?
T
What is the defining equation for period (SHM)?
Where:
T is period in seconds
f is frequency in Hz
Define: phase difference
A measure of how in phase different particles are.
When are particles said to be in phase?
If they are moving together.
When are particles said to be out of phase?
If they are not moving together.
What is the standard index measurement for phase difference?
degrees, °
or
radians, rad
What is the symbol for phase difference?
phi, ϕ
When are particles said to be completely out of phase?
at 180º or π rad
Define: simple harmonic motion
The motion that takes place when the acceleration, a, of an object is always directed towards, and is proportional to, its displacement from a fixed point. This acceleration is caused by a restoring force that must always be pointed towards the mean position and also proportional to the displacement from the mean position.
What is the defining equation for SHM?
a = -ω2x
Where:
- a* is acceleration in m s-2
- ω* is the angular frequency in rad s-1
- x* is the displacement in m
- ω2 is the gradient of the line
The negative sign in the equation shows that acceleration always occurs in the direction towards the mean position.
What is the defining equation for the angular frequency?
T = period of P = time taken to turn 360º (2π radians)
f = frequency of P = 1 / T
ω = angular velocity of P = (angle turned through) over (time taken)
Therefore,
ω = 2π/T = 2πf
Describe the interchange between kinetic energy and potential energy during SHM
In SHM, the total energy is interchanged between kinetic energy and potential energy. If no resistive forces that dissipate energy act on the motion, the total energy is constant and the oscillation is said to be undamped.
Potential energy increases as we move away from the equilibrium position and kinetic energy decreases. As we come closer to the equilibrium position its vice versa. Potential energy can be expressed as a sine curve, kinetic energy as a cosine curve.
Define: damping
Involves a frictional force that is always in the opposite direction to the direction of motion of the oscillating particle. As the particle oscillates, it does work against this resistive (or dissipative) force and so the particle loses energy.
total energy of the particle ∝ (amplitude)<span>2</span>
This means that the amplitude decreases exponentially with time.
Define: light damping
The resistive force is small, so a small fraction of the total energy is removed with each cycle and hence the amplitude decreases. The time period of the oscillations is not affected and the oscillations continue for a significant number of cycles. The time taken for the oscillation to die out can be long.
Define: critical damping
Involves an intermediate value for resistive force such that the time taken for the particle to return to zero displacement is a minimum. There is no overshoot. Examples = electric meters with moving pointers and door closing mechanisms.
Define: heavy damping
Involves large resistive forces and can completely prevent oscillations from taking place. Time taken for the particle to return to zero displacement can be long.
Define: natural frequency of vibration
When the system is temporarily displaced from its equilibrium position and the system oscillates as a result.
Give an example of natural frequency of vibration.
When the rim of a wine glass is tapped.
Define: forced oscillations.
It is possible to force a system to oscillate at any frequency by subjecting it to a changing force that varies with the chosen frequency. This periodic driving frequency must be provided from outside the system. When the driving frequency is first applied, a combination of natural and forced oscillations take place, producing complex transient oscillations. Once the amplitude of the transient oscillations dies down, a steady condition is achieved.
What are the conditions of forced oscillations?
- the system oscillates at the driving frequency
- the amplitude of the forced oscillations is fixed. Each cycle, energy is dissipated as a result of damping and the driving force does not work on the system. The overall result is that the energy of the system remains constant.
- the amplitude of the forced oscillations depends on:
- the comparative values of the natural frequency and the driving frequency
- the amount of damping present in the system.
Describe graphically the variation with forced frequency of the amplitude of vibration of an object close to its natural frequency of vibration.
The amplitude of the forced oscillation depends on comparative values of the natural frequency and the driving frequency. In addition it also depends on the amount of damping present.