Solve for Displacement in Harmonic Oscillator

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a problem related to simple harmonic motion, specifically focusing on the relationship between kinetic and potential energy in a harmonic oscillator. The original poster is attempting to determine the displacement at which kinetic energy equals potential energy.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster outlines their reasoning by equating potential energy to half of the total energy and derives a displacement expression. Some participants affirm parts of this reasoning while questioning the final result. One participant suggests a different value for displacement, indicating a potential error in the original calculation.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants providing feedback on the original poster's calculations. There is an acknowledgment of an error, and an alternative value for displacement has been proposed, though no consensus has been reached on the correct answer.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working within the framework of a homework problem, which may impose specific constraints or assumptions regarding the parameters of the harmonic oscillator and the definitions of energy types.

flower76
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Can someone check my work please I'm pretty sure I don't have the right answer but I can't figure out what I have wrong.

The question is:
A simple harmonic oscillator has total energy E=1/2kA^2
where A is the amplitude of oscillation.
For what value of the displacement does the kinetic energy equal the potential energy?

So I figure that if KE is equal to PE, then PE=1/2E

Therefore:

1/2kx^2 =1/2(1/2kA^2)
kx^2 = 1/2kA^2
x = 1/4A

Any ideas?
 
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flower76 said:
So I figure that if KE is equal to PE, then PE=1/2E
Good.

Therefore:

1/2kx^2 =1/2(1/2kA^2)
Good.
kx^2 = 1/2kA^2
Good.
x = 1/4A
Not good.
 
I think I see my error.

Is the answer x = 0.71A ?
 
Yep. x = (1/\sqrt{2}) A
 

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