Part Two: Oscillations, Waves, & Fluids

Examples of oscillations &

waves:
Earthquake Tsunami
Electric guitar Sound wave
Watch quartz crystal
Radar speed-trap
Radio telescope
Examples of fluid
mechanics:
High-speed photo: spreading circular waves on
water.

Flow speed vs river width

Plane flight

13. Oscillatory Motion

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Describing Oscillatory Motion

Simple Harmonic Motion
Applications of Simple Harmonic Motion
Circular & Harmonic Motion
Energy in Simple Harmonic Motion
Damped Harmonic Motion
Driven Oscillations & Resonance

Dancers from the Bandaloop Project perform on vertical surfaces,

executing graceful slow-motion jumps.
What determines the duration of these jumps?
pendulum motion: rope length & g

Wilberforce
Pendulum

Disturbing a system from equilibrium

results in oscillatory motion.
Absent friction, oscillation continues
forever.

Examples of oscillatory motion:

Microwave oven: Heats food by oscillating H2O molecules in it.
CO2 molecules in atmosphere absorb heat by vibrating global warming.
Watch keeps time thru oscillation ( pendulum, spring-wheel, quartz crystal, )
Earth quake induces vibrations collapse of buildings & bridges .

Oscillation

13.1. Describing Oscillatory Motion

Characteristics of oscillatory motion:
Amplitude A = max displacement from
equilibrium.
Period T = time for the motion to repeat itself.
Frequency f = # of oscillations per unit time.
same period T

same amplitude A

1
T

[ f ] = hertz (Hz) = 1 cycle / s

A, T, f do not specify an oscillation completely.

Oscillation

Example 13.1. Oscillating Ruler

An oscillating ruler completes 28 cycles in 10 s & moves a total distance of 8.0 cm.
What are the amplitude, period, & frequency of this oscillatory motion?

Amplitude = 8.0 cm / 2 = 4.0 cm.

10 s
0.36 s / cycle
28 cycles

1
28 cycles

T
10 s

2.8 Hz

13.2. Simple Harmonic Motion

Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM):

F k x

d 2x
m 2 k x
dt
2nd order diff. eq 2 integration const.
Ansatz:

x t A cos t B sin t
dx
A sin t B cos t
dt
d2 x
2 A cos t B 2 sin t
2
dt

x t T x t

T 2
f

T 2

angular
frequency

2 x

T 2

m
k

k
m

x t A cos t B sin t
A, B determined by initial conditions

v t

dx
A sin t B cos t
dt
x 0 1

v 0 0

A 1

B 0

x t cos t

( t ) 2

x 2A

Amplitude & Phase

x t A cos t B sin t C cos t
C cos t cos sin t sin

C = amplitude

= phase

A C cos
B C sin

C A2 B 2
B
tan 1
A

Note: is independent of
amplitude only for SHM.

Curve moves to the right for < 0.

Oscillation

Velocity & Acceleration in SHM

x t A cos t

|x| = max at v = 0

dx
A sin t
dt

A cos t
2

v t

|v| = max at a = 0

d2 x
a t 2 A 2 cos t
dt
2 x t
A 2 cos t

GOT IT? 13.1.

Two identical mass-springs are displaced different amounts from equilibrium &
then released at different times.
Of the amplitudes, frequencies, periods, & phases of the subsequent motions,
which are the same for both systems & which are different?

Same:

frequencies, periods

Different:
amplitudes ( different displacement )
phases ( different release time )

Application: Swaying skyscraper

Tuned mass damper :

Damper highly damped ,
Overall oscillation overdamped.
Taipei 101 TMD:
41 steel plates,

Also used in:

730 ton, d = 550 cm,

87th-92nd floor.

Movie
Tuned Mass
Damper

Tall smokestacks
Airport control towers.
Power-plant cooling towers.
Bridges.
Ski lifts.

Example 13.2. Tuned Mass Damper

The tuned mass damper in NYs Citicorp Tower consists of a 373-Mg (vs 101s 3500
Mg) concrete block that completes one cycle of oscillation in 6.80 s.
The oscillation amplitude in a high wind is 110 cm.
Determine the spring constant & the maximum speed & acceleration of the block.

T 2

m
k

2
k m

2 3.1416
373 10 kg

6.80 s
3

3.18 105 N / m

2
2 3.1416

0.924 s 1
T
6.80 s

1
vmax A 0.924 s 1.10 m 1.02 m / s

amax 2 A 0.924 s 1 1.10 m 0.939 m / s 2

2

13.3. Applications of Simple Harmonic Motion

The Vertical Mass-Spring System

The Torsional Oscillator
The Pendulum
The Physical Pendulum

The Vertical Mass-Spring System

Spring stretched by x1 when loaded.
mass m oscillates about the new equil.
pos.
k
with freq

The Torsional Oscillator

= torsional constant

d 2
I 2
dt

Used in timepieces

The Pendulum
0T

d 2
g m g L sin I 2
dt
Small angles oscillation:

sin

d 2
I 2 m g L
dt

sin

mgL
I

Simple pendulum (point mass m):

I mL

g
L

L
g

Example 13.3. Rescuing Tarzan

Tarzan stands on a branch as a leopard threatens.
Jane is on a nearby branch of the same height, holding a 25-m-long vine attached to a
point midway between her & Tarzan.
She grasps the vine & steps off with negligible velocity.
How soon can she reach Tarzan?

L
g

Time needed:

1
T
2

25 m
5.0 s
2
9.8 m / s

GOT IT? 13.2.

What happens to the period of a pendulum if

no change

(a) its mass is doubled,

doubles

(b) its moved to a planet whose g is that of Earth,

doubles

(c) its length is quadrupled?

L
g

Conceptual Example 13.1. Nonlinear Pendulum

A pendulum becomes nonlinear if its amplitude becomes too large.
(a)As the amplitude increases, how will its period changes?
(b)If you start the pendulum by striking it when its hanging vertically,
will it undergo oscillatory motion no matter how hard its hit?

(b) If its hit hard enough,

motion becomes rotational.
(a)

sin increases slower than

smaller
longer period

The Physical Pendulum

Physical Pendulum = any object thats free to swing
Small angular displacement SHM

mgL
I

Example 13.4. Walking

When walking, the leg not in contact of the ground swings forward,
acting like a physical pendulum.
Approximating the leg as a uniform rod, find the period for a leg 90 cm long.
Table 10.2

mgL
I

2 3.1416

1
2
I m 2L
3
4L
3g
4 0.9 m

3 9.8 m / s 2

1.6 s
Forward stride = T/2 = 0.8 s

13.4. Circular & Harmonic Motion

Circular
motion:

x t r cos t
y t r sin t

x=R

x=0

2 SHO with same A &

but = 90

x=R

Lissajous Curves

GOT IT? 13.3.

The figure shows paths traced out by two pendulums swinging with
different frequencies in the x- & y- directions.
What are the ratios x : y ?

1:2

3: 2
Lissajous Curves

13.5. Energy in Simple Harmonic Motion

SHM:

x t A cos t

v t A sin t

1
1
k x 2 k A2 cos 2 t
2
2

1
1
1
m v 2 m 2 A2 sin 2 t k A2 sin 2 t
2
2
2

E K U

1
k A2
2
= constant

Energy in SHM

Potential Energy Curves & SHM

F k x

Linear force:

parabolic potential energy:

U F d x

dU
dx

Taylor expansion near local

minimum:

1 d 2U
U x U xmin
2 d x2

0
x xmin

x xmin
x xmin

1
k x2
2

1
2
const k x xmin
2

Small disturbances near equilibrium points SHM

GOT IT? 13.4.

Two different mass-springs oscillate with the same amplitude & frequency.
If one has twice as much energy as the other, how do
(a) their masses & (b) their spring constants compare?
(c)

What about their maximum speeds?

The more energetic oscillator has

(a) twice the mass
(b) twice the spring constant
(c)

Their maximum speeds are equal.

sinusoidal
oscillation

13.6. Damped Harmonic Motion

Damping (frictional) force:

Fd b v b

dx
dt

Damped mass-spring:
Amplitude
exponential decay

d2x
dx
m 2 k x b
dt
dt

Ansatz:

x t A e t cos t
v t A e t cos t sin t
a t A e

m 2 2 k b

2m b

cos t 2 sin t

2m

k
2
m

k b

m 2m

x t A e

cos t

2m

k b

m 2m

2m
2
0

At t = 2m / b, amplitude drops to 1/e of max value.

(a) For

is real, motion is oscillatory ( underdamped )

(c) For

is imaginary, motion is exponential ( overdamped )

(b) For

= 0, motion is exponential ( critically damped )

Damped & Driven

Harmonic Motion

Example 13.6. Bad Shocks

A cars suspension has m = 1200 kg & k = 58 kN / m.
Its worn-out shock absorbers provide a damping constant b = 230 kg / s.
After the car hit a pothole, how many oscillations will it make before the
amplitude drops to half its initial value?

2m

x t A e t cos t
Time required is

1
2

58000 N / m 230 kg / s

1200 kg
2
1200
kg

# of oscillations:

7.23 s
8

T 0.904 s

1 1
ln
2

k b

m 2m

2m
2 1200 kg
ln 2
ln 2 7.23 s
b
230 kg / s

6.95 s 1

bad shock !

0.904 s

13.7. Driven Oscillations & Resonance

External force Driven oscillator

Fext F0 cos d t

Let

d = driving frequency

d 2x
dx
m 2 k x b
F0 cos d t
dt
dt
x A cos d t

Prob 75:

F0

A
m

k
m

Resonance:

( long time )

2
d

2 2
0

b d
m

= natural frequency

d 0

Damped & Driven

Harmonic Motion

Buildings, bridges, etc have natural freq.

If Earth quake, wind, etc sets up resonance, disasters result.

Collapse of Tacoma bridge is due to self-excitation

described by the van der Pol equation.

Tacoma Bridge

Resonance in microscopic system:

electrons in magnetron microwave oven

Tokamak (toroidal magnetic field) fusion

CO2 vibration: resonance at IR freq Green house effect

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) NMI for medical use.