A mass attached to a spring is free to oscillate, with angular velocity ω, in a horizontal plane without friction or damping. It is pulled to a distance x0 and pushed towards the centre with a velocity v0 at time t = 0. Determine the amplitude of the resulting oscillations in terms of the parameters ω, x0 and v0. [Hint: Start with the equation

x = a cos (ωt+θ) and note that the initial velocity is negative.]

Suppose a block held on a frictionless plane attached to a spring(upstretched) is pulled to a distance x0 and then pushed towards the centre that is the mean position or original position with velocity v0, now the block will start to oscillate and undergo Simple Harmonic Motion with an angular frequency ω, the situation at beginning of time t = 0 has been


shown in the figure



Let the equation of Simple harmonic motion of the block be


x = a cos (ωt+θ)


where x is denotes the position of particle or displacement from mean position at any instant of time t, ω is the angular frequency of the Simple harmonic motion of the block, θ is the initial phase of the block a is the amplitude or the maximum displacement of block from the mean position


we have to find the amplitude a


differentiating the equation resenting position of particle with respect to time to find velocity of particle at any instant



We know where v is the velocity of the particle


And differentiation where a, b and c are constants


So differentiating we get velocity of particle


v = -aω sin (ωt+θ)


now we have initial condition that initially at t = 0, particle is at a distance x0 from mean position


or x = x0 at t = 0


so putting in equation


x = a cos (ωt+θ)


we have


x0 = a cosθ (eq -1)


now we have initial condition that velocity of particle is initially is v0 directed towards mean position in negative x direction


or v = v0 at t = 0


so putting in equation


v = -aω sin (ωt+θ)


we get


v0 = -aω sinθ


or we can rewrite it as


-v0/ω = a sin θ (eq -2)


Squaring and adding (eq -1) and (eq -2) we get


x02+ (-v0/ω)2 = (a cos θ)2 + (a sin θ)2


Solving further


x02 + v022 = a2cos2θ + a2sin2θ


or


a2(cos2θ + sin2θ) = x02 + v022


we know the identity cos2θ + sin2θ = 1


so we have


a2 = x02 + v022


or the amplitude is



so the amplitude of oscillation of the block is


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