Part I - To study the motion of a vibrating spring (Simple Harmonic Motion).
Part II - To determine the period, amplitude, and acceleration due to gravity of a simple pendulum.
Simple harmonic motion occurs when there is a force that increases linearly with distance as the body moves away from an equilibrium position. The force is always directed toward the equilibrium position. As determined by Robert Hooke in the 17th century, the equation for this force is given by: . This equation explains the proportional relationship between the force enacted upon the spring and the length of which it was displaced or stretched. Where x is the displacement from the equilibrium position and k is the constant of proportionality or the spring constant. The negative sign would be the force that is oppos
This expression gives the time required for an object of mass m attached to a spring constant k to complete one cycle of its motion.
= . Since the downward motion of the system is equivalent to the horizontal motion, the radius of the circular motion is the same as the amplitude, A, of the harmonic motion. During the quarter cycle, the mass moves from a point where its energy is solely elastic potential energy to a point where its energy is solely kinetic energy: