Tuesday, April 14, 2026

14.5 - Velocity and Acceleration in Simple Harmonic Motion

In the previous section, we saw simple harmonic motion (S.H.M). In this section, we will see velocity and acceleration in S.H.M.

Velocity in simple harmonic motion

• In fig.14.25 below, the magenta sphere is in uniform circular motion.
   ♦ Radius of the circle is A
   ♦ Angular speed of the sphere is $\small{\omega}$

Derivation of the expression for velocity in simple harmonic motion
Fig.14.25

• We know that, the "projection of the sphere on the x-axis" will be in SHM between (−A,0) and (A,0). We want an expression which can be used to calculate the "velocity of this projection" at any instant t.
This can be done in 4 steps:

1. Let at any instant t, the position of the sphere be P.
We know that, at any instant, the tangential velocity of the sphere will be $\small{\omega\,A}$. This is indicated by the white tangential arrow at P, in the fig.14.25 above.

2. Now we drop two perpendicular green dashed lines, onto the x-axis.
• One through P and the other through the head of $\small{\omega\,A}$
• These two perpendicular lines will give the projection of $\small{\omega\,A}$ on the x-axis.

3. This projection is the velocity of the SHM at the instant t. It is denoted as $\small{v(t)}$. So our next aim is to find the expression for $\small{v(t)}$

4. Fig.14.26 below shows an enlarged view of the first quadrant.

Fig.14.26

• The white dotted line is parallel to the x-axis and it passes through P. So by the rule of alternate angles, angle between OP and the dotted line is $\small{(\omega t~+~\phi)}$
• The tangential velocity $\small{\omega\,A}$ is perpendicular to OP. So the angle between the tangential velocity and the dotted line will be $\small{\left[\frac{\pi}{2} - (\omega t + \phi) \right]}$
• So the horizontal component of the tangential velocity will be $\small{\omega\,A \cos\left[\frac{\pi}{2} - (\omega t + \phi) \right]\,=\,\omega\,A \sin (\omega t + \phi)}$
See identity 5 in the list of trigonometric identities.
• But in the final expression, we must include a −ve sign because, the horizontal component is acting towards the −ve side of the x-axis.
• Thus we get: $\small{v(t)\,=\,-\omega\,A \sin (\omega t + \phi)}$


Note:
In math classes, it is proved that, derivative of displacement, w.r.t time, will give velocity. This is true in the case of SHM also.

$\small{\begin{array}{ll} {~\color{magenta}    1    }    &{{}}    &{x(t)}    & {~=~}    &{A\cos(\omega t\,+\,\phi)}
\\ {~\color{magenta}    2    }    &{}    &{v(t)}    & {~=~}    &{\frac{dx}{dt}}
\\ {~\color{magenta}    3    }    &{\Rightarrow}    &{v(t)}    & {~=~}    &{\frac{d\left[A\cos(\omega t\,+\,\phi) \right]}{dt}}
\\ {~\color{magenta}    4    }    &{\Rightarrow}    &{v(t)}    & {~=~}    &{-\omega A\sin(\omega t\,+\,\phi)}
\\ \end{array}}$

• This is the same expression that we obtained above


Acceleration in simple harmonic motion

• In fig.14.27 below, we consider the same magenta sphere again.
   ♦ Radius of the circle is A
   ♦ Angular speed of the sphere is $\small{\omega}$


Fig.14.27

• We know that, the "projection of the sphere on the x-axis" will be in SHM between (−A,0) and (A,0). We want an expression which can be used to calculate the "acceleration of this projection" at any instant t.
This can be done in steps:

1. Let at any instant t, the position of the sphere be P.
We know that, at any instant, the centripetal acceleration experienced by the sphere will be $\small{v^2\,A}$ or $\small{\omega^2\,A}$. This is indicated by the white radial arrow at P, in the fig.14.27 above.

2. Now we drop two perpendicular green dashed lines, onto the x-axis.
• One through P and the other through the head of $\small{\omega\,A}$
• These two perpendicular lines will give the projection of $\small{\omega^2\,A}$ on the x-axis.

3. This projection is the acceleration of the SHM at the instant t. It is denoted as $\small{a(t)}$. So our next aim is to find the expression for $\small{a(t)}$

4. Fig.14.28 below shows an enlarged view of the first quadrant.


Fig.14.28

• The white dotted line is parallel to the x-axis and it passes through the head of $\small{\omega^2\,A}$. So the angle between $\small{\omega^2\,A}$ and the dotted line is $\small{(\omega t~+~\phi)}$
• So the horizontal component of $\small{\omega^2\,A}$ will be $\small{\omega^2\,A \cos(\omega t + \phi)}$
• But in the final expression, we must include a −ve sign because, the horizontal component is acting towards the −ve side of the x-axis.
• Thus we get: $\small{a(t)\,=\,-\omega^2\,A \cos (\omega t + \phi)}$


Note:
In math classes, it is proved that, derivative of velocity, w.r.t time, will give acceleration. This is true in the case of SHM also.

$\small{\begin{array}{ll} {~\color{magenta}    1    }    &{{}}    &{v(t)}    & {~=~}    &{-\omega A\sin(\omega t\,+\,\phi)}
\\ {~\color{magenta}    2    }    &{}    &{a(t)}    & {~=~}    &{\frac{dv}{dt}}
\\ {~\color{magenta}    3    }    &{\Rightarrow}    &{a(t)}    & {~=~}    &{\frac{d\left[-A \omega\sin(\omega t\,+\,\phi) \right]}{dt}}
\\ {~\color{magenta}    4    }    &{\Rightarrow}    &{a(t)}    & {~=~}    &{-\omega^2 A\cos(\omega t\,+\,\phi)}
\\ \end{array}}$

• This is the same expression that we obtained above


Now we will see two important properties related to acceleration.
Property 1:
This can be explained in 4 steps:
1. We obtained: $\small{a(t)\,=\,-\omega^2\,A \cos (\omega t + \phi)}$
2. But in the previous section, we saw that: $\small{x(t)\,=\,A \cos (\omega t + \phi)}$
3. So we can write: $\small{a(t)\,=\,-\omega^2\,x(t)}$
4. Suppose that, $\small{\omega}$ is a constant. Then we can write:
acceleration is proportional to displacement.

Property 2:
This can be explained in steps:
1. In property 1, we saw that:
Acceleration = A constant  × displacement
2. But there is a −ve sign in the expression for acceleration. So we can write:
   ♦ If the displacement is −ve, acceleration will be +ve.
   ♦ If the displacement is +ve, acceleration will be −ve.


Let us see how the two properties are applicable to the horizontal oscillating spring that we saw in fig.14.9 is section 14.1. It can be written as four cases.

Case 1
This can be written in 3 steps:
1. Consider the case when the mass is traveling from x=0 to x=A
In this case, the displacement will be +ve at any instant.
2. Since the displacement is +ve, acceleration will be −ve at any instant.
• That is, acceleration will be acting towards the −ve side of the x-axis
• That means, acceleration will be acting opposite to the direction of motion.
• That means, the mass will be experiencing deceleration.
• Indeed, due to this deceleration, the mass comes to a stop at x = A
3. Also, the deceleration experienced by the mass is not uniform.
• Greater the distance from the equilibrium position, greater will be the deceleration. That means, as the mass approaches x=A, it will be experiencing more and more deceleration.

Case 2
This can be written in 3 steps:
1. Consider the case when the mass is traveling from x=A to x=0
In this case, the displacement will be +ve at any instant.
2. Since the displacement is +ve, acceleration will be −ve at any instant.
• That is, acceleration will be acting towards the −ve side of the x-axis
• That means, acceleration will be acting in the direction of motion.
• Indeed, due to this acceleration, the mass will have the maximum possible velocity at x = 0
3. Also, the acceleration experienced by the mass is not uniform.
• Lesser the distance from the equilibrium position, lesser will be the acceleration. That means, as the mass approaches x = 0, it will be experiencing less and less acceleration.

Case 3
This is the case when the mass is traveling from x=0 to x=−A
The reader may write all the 3 steps in detail

Case 4
This is the case when the mass is traveling from x=−A to x=0
The reader may write all the 3 steps in detail


We have seen three functions:
$\small{\begin{array}{ll} {~\color{magenta}    1    }    &{{}}    &{x(t)}    & {~=~}    &{ A\cos(\omega t\,+\,\phi)}
\\ {~\color{magenta}    2    }    &{}    &{v(t)}    & {~=~}    &{-\omega A\sin(\omega t\,+\,\phi)}
\\ {~\color{magenta}    3    }    &{}    &{a(t)}    & {~=~}    &{-\omega^2 A\cos(\omega t\,+\,\phi)}
\\ \end{array}}$
In the next section, we will see an analysis of their graphs


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