Physics HL
Physics HL
5
Chapters
329
Notes
Theme A - Space, Time & Motion
Theme A - Space, Time & Motion
Theme B - The Particulate Nature Of Matter
Theme B - The Particulate Nature Of Matter
Theme C - Wave Behaviour
Theme C - Wave Behaviour
Theme D - Fields
Theme D - Fields
Theme E - Nuclear & Quantum Physics
Theme E - Nuclear & Quantum Physics
IB Resources
Theme C - Wave Behaviour
Physics HL
Physics HL

Theme C - Wave Behaviour

Simple Harmonic Motion: Energy Transfers & Oscillation Insights

Word Count Emoji
693 words
Reading Time Emoji
4 mins read
Updated at Emoji
Last edited on 5th Nov 2024

Table of content

Concepts

  • Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM): An oscillatory motion where the restoring force is directly proportional and in the opposite direction to the displacement from its equilibrium position.
  • Energy in SHM: Energy constantly shifts between kinetic energy (motion) and potential energy (stored).

🎈 Imagine a swinging pendulum on a grandfather clock. As the pendulum swings left and right, its energy keeps changing between being at rest (stored energy) and in motion (moving energy).

Key points

  • At the extremes (furthest points of the swing):

    • Speed = 0
    • Kinetic Energy (motion energy) = 0
    • All energy is stored as Potential Energy.
  • At the centre (middle point of the swing):

    • Speed is maximum
    • Kinetic Energy is maximum
    • Potential Energy (stored energy) = 0

🚗 Imagine a car on a springy track: When pushed and released, the car zips to the center of the track super-fast (lots of motion energy). But at the track's ends, it stops for a brief moment (all stored energy) before racing back again!

 

Did You Know? During one full swing (or cycle) of the pendulum

  • Kinetic Energy peaks twice (once in each direction).
  • Potential Energy peaks twice too.
  • The number of energy transfers is DOUBLE the number of swings.

🎡 Imagine a Ferris wheel: If you're on a cabin, every time you're at the top (or bottom), that's like the pendulum reaching an extreme. The number of times you feel the "slowest" on the Ferris wheel (top and bottom) is double the number of full rounds you make!

Examples

  • Example 1: If a body oscillates 20 times a second (20Hz), its kinetic energy is zero 40 times (2x20) in that second. Why? Because for each oscillation, the energy hits zero twice.
  • Example 2: If the potential energy graph of a pendulum shows:
    • It hits zero at 0.2s (that's when it’s in the middle)
    • It’s half of the max at 0.1s (that's when kinetic and potential energies are equal)

Then, it takes 0.4s for half a swing. So, a full swing back and forth (complete oscillation) is 0.8s!

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IB Resources
Theme C - Wave Behaviour
Physics HL
Physics HL

Theme C - Wave Behaviour

Simple Harmonic Motion: Energy Transfers & Oscillation Insights

Word Count Emoji
693 words
Reading Time Emoji
4 mins read
Updated at Emoji
Last edited on 5th Nov 2024

Table of content

Concepts

  • Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM): An oscillatory motion where the restoring force is directly proportional and in the opposite direction to the displacement from its equilibrium position.
  • Energy in SHM: Energy constantly shifts between kinetic energy (motion) and potential energy (stored).

🎈 Imagine a swinging pendulum on a grandfather clock. As the pendulum swings left and right, its energy keeps changing between being at rest (stored energy) and in motion (moving energy).

Key points

  • At the extremes (furthest points of the swing):

    • Speed = 0
    • Kinetic Energy (motion energy) = 0
    • All energy is stored as Potential Energy.
  • At the centre (middle point of the swing):

    • Speed is maximum
    • Kinetic Energy is maximum
    • Potential Energy (stored energy) = 0

🚗 Imagine a car on a springy track: When pushed and released, the car zips to the center of the track super-fast (lots of motion energy). But at the track's ends, it stops for a brief moment (all stored energy) before racing back again!

 

Did You Know? During one full swing (or cycle) of the pendulum

  • Kinetic Energy peaks twice (once in each direction).
  • Potential Energy peaks twice too.
  • The number of energy transfers is DOUBLE the number of swings.

🎡 Imagine a Ferris wheel: If you're on a cabin, every time you're at the top (or bottom), that's like the pendulum reaching an extreme. The number of times you feel the "slowest" on the Ferris wheel (top and bottom) is double the number of full rounds you make!

Examples

  • Example 1: If a body oscillates 20 times a second (20Hz), its kinetic energy is zero 40 times (2x20) in that second. Why? Because for each oscillation, the energy hits zero twice.
  • Example 2: If the potential energy graph of a pendulum shows:
    • It hits zero at 0.2s (that's when it’s in the middle)
    • It’s half of the max at 0.1s (that's when kinetic and potential energies are equal)

Then, it takes 0.4s for half a swing. So, a full swing back and forth (complete oscillation) is 0.8s!

Unlock the Full Content! File Is Locked Emoji

Dive deeper and gain exclusive access to premium files of Physics HL. Subscribe now and get closer to that 45 🌟

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