A-Level Physics Specification

OCR A H556

Section 5.3.1: Simple harmonic oscillations

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#5.3.1a

displacement, amplitude, period, frequency, angular frequency and phase difference

#5.3.1b

angular frequency ω;
\(ω = \dfrac{2π}{T} \) or \(ω = 2πf\)

#5.3.1c

(i) simple harmonic motion;
defining equation \(a = -ω^2x \)

(ii) techniques and procedures used to determine the period/frequency of simple harmonic oscillations

PAG10 e.g. mass on a spring, pendulum

#5.3.1d

solutions to the equation \(a = -ω^2x \)
e.g. \(x = A\cos{ωt} \) or \(x = A\sin{ωt} \)

#5.3.1e

velocity \(v = ±ω\sqrt{A^2 - x^2} \) hence \(v_{max} = ωA \)

#5.3.1f

the period of a simple harmonic oscillator is independent of its amplitude (isochronous oscillator)

#5.3.1g

graphical methods to relate the changes in displacement, velocity and acceleration during simple harmonic motion.