- #1
PhysicsinCalifornia
- 58
- 0
Hello, I took a test on Simple Harmonic Motion today and the very last problem looked something like this:
A simple harmonic oscillator has a total energy of E. (a) Detemine the kinetic and potential energies when the displacement is one half the amplitude. (b) For what value of the displacement does the kinetic energy equal the potential energy?
I had no clue how to solve this one. I'm sure I got it wrong. Can anyone help me to start with this thing??
All I know is that I'm supposed to use the energy equation:
[tex] E_i = E_f [/tex]
[tex] KE_i + PE_i + PE_{si} = KE_f + PE_f + PE_{sf}[/tex]
[tex] KE = \frac{1}{2}mv^2 [/tex]
[tex] PE = mgh [/tex]
[tex] PE_s = \frac{1}{2}kx^2[/tex]
I seriously do NOT know how to do this problem.
A simple harmonic oscillator has a total energy of E. (a) Detemine the kinetic and potential energies when the displacement is one half the amplitude. (b) For what value of the displacement does the kinetic energy equal the potential energy?
I had no clue how to solve this one. I'm sure I got it wrong. Can anyone help me to start with this thing??
All I know is that I'm supposed to use the energy equation:
[tex] E_i = E_f [/tex]
[tex] KE_i + PE_i + PE_{si} = KE_f + PE_f + PE_{sf}[/tex]
[tex] KE = \frac{1}{2}mv^2 [/tex]
[tex] PE = mgh [/tex]
[tex] PE_s = \frac{1}{2}kx^2[/tex]
I seriously do NOT know how to do this problem.