Review the key concepts, formulae, and examples before starting your quiz.
πConcepts
The total mechanical energy () of a particle performing Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM) is the sum of its Kinetic Energy () and Potential Energy ().
Potential Energy () is due to the displacement of the particle from its mean position. It is given by , where is the force constant and is the displacement.
Kinetic Energy () is due to the velocity of the particle. It is maximum at the mean position () and zero at the extreme positions ().
In an ideal SHM (no damping), the Total Mechanical Energy remains constant at all points during the oscillation, satisfying the Law of Conservation of Energy.
The Potential Energy and Kinetic Energy vary periodically. While the displacement varies with frequency , the energies and vary with a frequency of .
At the mean position (), . At the extreme positions (), .
πFormulae
π‘Examples
Problem 1:
A particle of mass executes SHM with an amplitude of and an angular frequency . Calculate the total energy and the kinetic energy when the displacement is .
Solution:
- Total Energy: .
- Kinetic Energy at : .
Explanation:
The total energy is calculated using the maximum amplitude, while the kinetic energy at a specific point is found by subtracting the potential energy at that displacement from the total energy.
Problem 2:
At what displacement from the mean position is the kinetic energy of a particle performing SHM equal to its potential energy?
Solution:
Given .
Explanation:
By equating the expressions for and , we find that the energies are equal when the displacement is times the amplitude.