SIMPLE HARMONIC MOTION

AIM: -To demonstrate SHM by examining the motion of a mass that is attached to one end of a

vertical spring.

- To measure the elastic constant and mass of a Spiral Spring.

APPARATUS: Light Spiral Spring, Weight Holder, clamp and stand, Weights.

THEORY: The extension of a spring which obeys Hooke’s law is proportional to the mass

attached m which produces an extension e it. Therefore

mg = k e

e is the extension and k is a constant of proportionality which is known as the

spring constant. It is equal to the tension required to produce unit extension

(Nm-1).Suppose that a suspended spring which obeys Hooke’s law has a body of

mass m attached to its lower end. In Fig. 3.5 (a) the body is at rest in its

equilibrium position. There can be no resultant force acting on the body and

therefore the tension F0 is given by:

F0 = mg - - - - - - - - - -[3.1]

1
 It follows from equation [3.1] that since the extension is e

Mg = ke -------------- [3.2]

Suppose now that the body is displaced downwards through a distant x Fig3.4(b). The

body is no longer in equilibrium and feels a upward force of (F – mg), where F is the

instantaneous value of the tension in the spring. Therefore by Newton’s second law

d2 x
F – mg = - m dt 2 - - - - - - - - - - -[3.3]

(The minus sign is present because the resultant force on the body directed upwards and

therefore acts so as to decrease x.) By equation [3.1], since the total extension is now (e

+ x)

F = k(e+x)

2
Therefore from equation [3.3]

d2 x
K(e+x) – mg = -m dt 2

But, from equation [3.2], mg = ke, and therefore

2
d x
2
Kx = -m dt

d2 x k
2
=− x
i.e. dt m -------- [3.4]

Since both k and m are positive constants, so also is k/m and therefore equation [3.4] may

be written as

2
d x
2
=−ω2 x
dt

Where ω2 is a positive constant equal to k/m. This equation represents simple harmonic

motion and therefore the motion of the body is simple harmonic. Since ω 2 = k/m , the

period of the motion is

m
Period =
2π
√ k --------- [3.5]
3
Except in the idealized case of a spring of zero mass, it is necessary to take account of the

fact that the spring itself oscillates. It can be shown that m needs to be replaced by

(m + ms), where ms is a constant known as the effective mass of the spring. (Note that ms

is less than the actual mass of the spring because it is only the lowest coil which oscillates

with the full amplitude of the suspended body.) With this modification then, equation

[3.5] becomes

m+ms
Period =
2π
√ k

PROCEDURE:

The spiral spring was suspended vertically and a mass was added. The mass was then

displaced and the time taken for fifty oscillations was recorded three times. The mass

was increased the procedure was repeated until a total of nine set of results were obtained

and recorded.

4
Data

TABLE SHOWING RESULTS FROM EXPERIMENT

Mass/kg t1/s t2/s t3/s Avg t/s T/s T2/s2

0.201 21.89 21.95 21.92 21.92 0.438 0.192
0.250 22.98 23.17 24.42 23.52 0.470 0.221
0.308 25.89 26.01 26.52 26.14 0.523 0.273
0.355 29.71 29.42 29.75 29.63 0.593 0.351
0.409 31.12 30.52 30.95 30.86 0.617 0.381
0.452 32.87 32.67 32.81 32.78 0.656 0.430
0.502 34.57 34.47 34.52 34.52 0.690 0.477
0.554 35.5 36.11 35.81 35.81 0.716 0.513
0.608 36.43 37.01 36.84 36.76 0.735 0.541
Given mass = 20.2 g

Given spring constant, k = 42 N/m

CALCULATION

5
CALCULATIONS:

6
1. Calculate the values of K and Ms

y 2− y 1
Gradient (M )=
x 2−x 1

0.51−0.15
¿
0.56−0.15

0.36
¿ = 0.88 s2/kg
0.41

Equation of a straight line: y = m∙x + c, using (0.56, 0.51) we will find the equation of the line.

y = m∙x + c

0.51 = 0.88∙0.56 + c

c = y - m∙x

c= 0.51 – (0.88∙0.56); c = 0.017, equation becomes, y = 0.88∙x + 0.017.

m+m 2
Consider and convert T = 2 π ×
√ k
, to the form y = mx+ c where T2 is the subject.

m+m2 4 π 2 ⋅ms
T 2=4 π 2 × ( k ) c=
k

2 4 π 2 ⋅ m+ 4 Π 2 ⋅ m S
T =
k
2
2 4 π 2 m 4 π ⋅ ms
T = ⋅ +
k 1 k

y = T2

4 π2
m=
k

m
x=
1

solving for unknowns K and ms.

7
 4 π 2 0.88= 39.48
(gradient) m = ;
k k

39.48
k=
0.88

k =44.86 N/m

4 π 2 ⋅ms
c=
k

39.48 ⋅ m s
0.017=
44.86

0.76
=m s , m s = 0.0195 kg or 19.5 g
39.48

2. Errors in K and Ms

Δm Δy Δx
Error in gradient, m =
m
=±
y(+
x )
Δm 0.005 0.01
m
=± ( +
0.51 0.56 )
Δm=± ( 0.009+ 0.018 ) × 0.88

Δm=± 0.027× 0.88

Δm=± 0.024

Δk Δm
Error in k, =±
k m

Δm
Δk =± ×k
m

0.024
Δk =± × 44.86
0.88

Δk=± 0.027 × 44.86

Δk=± 1.211

8
Relative percentage error in k,

44.86−42
Error = × 100
42

2.86
= ×100 = 0.007 x 100 = 7%
42

Δm s ΔC Δk
Error in Ms,
ms
=±
C (
+
k )
Δ m s=± ( ΔCC + Δkk ) ×m s

Δ m s=± ( 0.005 +
1.211
0.017 44.86 )
×0.0195

Δ ms=± ( 0.29+0.03 ) ×0.0195

Δ mS=± 0.32× 0.0195

Δm s=±0.006

Relative percentage error in ms,

( 0.0195−0.0202 )
Error = × 100
0.0202

0.0007
ⅇrror = ×100 = 0.035 x 100 = 3.5%
0.0202

DISCUSSION

The purpose of the lab was to examine the motion of a mass as it relates to simple

harmonic motion. The extension of a spring which obeys Hooke’s law is proportional to the mass

attached m which produces an extension e it. Therefore mg = k e. e is the extension and k is a

constant of proportionality which is known as the spring constant. It is equal to the tension

required to produce unit extension (Nm-1).

9
 Using information from the graph plotted along with the equation for period, Period =

m+ms
2π
√ k , the experimental spring constant and mass of spring were found. By converting

the equation for period into the form of y = mx + c. The mass of the spring was calculated to be

0.0195 kg or 19.5 g and the spring constant k was found to be 44.86 N/m, in comparison the

given mass was 0.0202 kg and given spring constant was 42 N/m. Of course, like all

measurements and calculations some uncertainties are present. For the spring constant a

fractional error of ± 1.211 was calculated and a relative error of 7% found. In the case of the mass

of spring the fractional error was calculated to be ± 0.006 with a relative error of just 3.5%. with

the experimental and given values in an error window of just ± 1.211 and ± 0.006 respectively

then the values for mass and spring constant are to be considered precise and accurate.

CONCLUSION:

It’s been concluded that simple harmonic motion is the vibratory motion f a system in

which the net restoring force is directly proportional to a negative of a the displacement. In

2
d x
2
=−ω2 x
conclusion, since dt represents simple harmonic motion and is linked to the

m
equation of period, Period =
2π
√ k . Then the motion of a mass attached to the spring in the

experiment is simple harmonic. The spring constant was calculated to be 44.86 N/m ± 1.211 and

the mass of spring was calculated to be 0.0195 kg ± 0.006.

10
11