CONTENTS CONTENTS 1

Simple Harmonic Motions and

Difficult Harmonic Motions

Ahmed Saad Sabit

June 12, 2021

We’d find the differential equations for free, drag and driven cases, and find out their solutions. We’d
use Complex numbers and Euler Equation to do it quickly.

Contents

Contents 1

1 Simple and Difficult Harmonics 3

1.1 Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.2 Simple Harmonic Motions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.2.1 Try to solve ẍ + ω 2 x = 0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.2.2 Summary for ẍ + ω 2 x = 0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.3 Difficult Harmonic Motion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.3.1 Extra Constant Force: Force Field Oscillation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.3.2 Extra Oscillating Force: Forced Oscillation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.3.3 Drag Force included: Damped Oscillation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.3.4 Drag and Extra Oscillating Force both included: General Equation of Oscillation 6
1.4 Solutions to Difficult Harmonic Motions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.4.1 Extra Constant Force case: ẍ + ω 2 x = e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.4.2 Extra Oscillating Force Case: ẍ + ω 2 x = F0 eiωa t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.4.3 Drage force case: ẍ + 2γ ẋ + ω 2 x = 0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.4.4 General Case: Drag and Drive together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1.5 Principle of Superposition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
 Simple Harmonic Motions 3

Chapter 1

Simple and Difficult Harmonics

1.1 Tools

The Euler’s equations makes the whole document possible to be written,

eiθ = cos θ + i sin θ

√
Here, i = −1, the imaginary number. And also remember,
d αx
e = αeαx
dx
Another notation we’d use often,
dx d2 x
= ẋ = ẍ
dt dt2
I don’t know if I would, but if the equations start to look very messy, I would use a short form to denote
differentiation.
∂f df ∂ 2 f (x)
∂x f = = ∂x2 f (x) =
∂x dx ∂x2
Here, ∂ symbol is used just for random reasons, don’t worry about it for now.

I recommend reading the first part of Chapter 3 from Morin’s Classical Mechanics Textbook to have an
idea what is differential equation and why would we use it. You don’t need to read further, I’d discuss
them here quickly.

1.2 Simple Harmonic Motions

Let there be a spring of spring constant k and there be mass m in outer space where there is no gravity.
One end of spring is fixed and another end has mass m. If we displace the mass m by x distance, there
would be a force,
F = −kx
−kx because the force points to the opposite direction to x. Now, F = ma, thus,

ma = −kx
 k d2 x k
a=− x→ 2 =− x
m dt m
d2 x d2 x
Here a = dt2
is acceleration. Using shorter notation of ẍ instead of dt2
,

k
ẍ + x=0
m
k
For certain reasons, (what you’d see quickly) this m = ω 2 is actually written as,

ẍ + ω 2 x = 0

This is the Differential Equation of Simple Harmonic Motion, there is a function x (t) that satifsfies it.

1.2.1 Try to solve ẍ + ω 2 x = 0

• Let’s put x = t2 and see,

d d 2
t + ω 2 t2 = 0
dt dt
2 + ω 2 t2 = 0
It doesn’t well behave, for one specific value of t this is true, but for any random value of t, it
doesn’t equal to 0 obviously. The solution must hold for all possible ranges of time.
• Let’s put x = eat and see,
d2 ( at )
e + ω 2 eat → a2 eat + ω 2 eat = 0
dt2
Didnt’ work, to make this true, we need to force it so that a2 = −ω 2 , that means,

a = iω

If this is the case, then, x = eiωt ,

d2 ( iωt ) ( )
e + ω 2 eiωt → i2 ω 2 eiωt + ω 2 eiωt = 0 → ω2 − ω2 = 0
dt2
This time, for all cases of t, this is satisfied. That means this is a perfect solution.
So we have a solution,
eiωt
But just look carefully this is just cos ωt, because,

eiωt = cos (ωt) + i sin (ωt)

• Let’s try x = cos ωt,

d2
(cos (ωt)) + ω 2 (cos (ωt)) = ω 2 (cos ωt) − ω 2 (cos ωt)
dt2
You can check using basic calculus that (chain rule this case) and see this is true. Hence another
solution is,
cos ωt
 Difficult Harmonic Motion Summary for ẍ + ω 2 x = 0 5

The way we like to write solutions for differential equation here is adding a factor A so that,

x = Aeiωt

Here A is amplitude (a constant) that can be determined.

1.2.2 Summary for ẍ + ω 2 x = 0

Now what does x = A cos ωt mean as a solution for the above differential equation?

Here, any equation that shows what is ẍ is called Equation of Motion. Which is just the Acceleration.
From this, we can say that x satisfied the equation for Acceleration, so it’s a possible way of motion.

Now, x = A cos ωt means, with time the mass m moves left and right, with oscillation. In your text
book, you can find many problems regarding it, check them. It’s the core part of Oscillation.

I will not keep further discussions on this matter because it has already been done in University Physics
or Halliday, Resnick, Krane. I tend to solve the Difficult Harmonic Motion equations for ya.

If our solution is Aeiωt , this means the solution is,

x = A cos (ωt) + iA sin (ωt)

The problem here is there is an imaginary part to this equation for x (t). But don’t worry, you only
need the real part, whatever has factor i, (in this case it is i sin ωt), you can ignore at the final solution.
Only the real part of x (which is cos ωt) matter.

1.3 Difficult Harmonic Motion

1.3.1 Extra Constant Force: Force Field Oscillation

Let our mass m be always acted on by a force E . This force will always push the mass along the same
direction, then, total force equation looks like,

k E
F = −kx + E → ẍ = − x+
m m

E
We can write this m as just e and continue,

ẍ + ω 2 x = e
1.3.2 Extra Oscillating Force: Forced Oscillation

Let us apply a force that changes with time, so that,

ẍ + ω 2 x = F0 cos ωα t

This problem is also written as,

ẍ + ω 2 x = F0 eiωα t

Here the magnitude of force varies with a angular oscillation of ωα , which is NOT SAME as ω .

1.3.3 Drag Force included: Damped Oscillation

Let add a drag force F = −2κv for the above system. Keep in mind v = ẋ. The reason the drag force
has been shown with 2κ instead of just κ is because it makes solving the differential equation little
easier.

But whatever, assume the drag constant α is just 2κ for this case.

Now, the equation of motion,

F = −2γv − kx

Using F = mẍ,
κ k
ẍ = −2 ẋ − x
m m
κ
Let us use m = γ and make our math nice,

ẍ + 2γ ẋ + ω 2 x = 0

So, we now have to find a x (t) for,

ẍ + 2γ ẋ + ω 2 x = 0

1.3.4 Drag and Extra Oscillating Force both included: General Equation of
Oscillation

For drag for and applied force both together, we have,

ẍ + 2γ ẋ + ω 2 x = F0 eiωa t
 Solutions to Difficult Harmonic Motions 7

1.4 Solutions to Difficult Harmonic Motions

1.4.1 Extra Constant Force case: ẍ + ω 2 x = e

We have to solve,
ẍ + ω 2 x = e

The method we use for all this cases is the rule of superposition. Check the Last section for an idea.

Let us assume,
x = uh + up

Here uh is called “Homogenous Solution”. And up is “Particular Solution”

Now apply this in the differential equation, we have,

u¨h + ω 2 uh + u¨p + ω 2 up = e

We can choose whatever value of uh and up as we like, we can engineer it so that it becomes something
familiar, let’s put that,
u¨h + ω 2 uh = 0

u¨p = 0 and ω 2 up = e

The Homogenous Solution turns out to be well known,

uh = Aeiωt

And the Particular Solution is consistent because it says,

e
up =
ω2
e
And the second derivative of up is zero because ω2
is constant.

So, we have the solution,

e
x = uh + up = Aeiωt +
ω2

e
x (t) = Aeiωt +
ω2

In some places this is also written as,

x (t) = Aeiωt + Be−iωt + C

Which is perfectly valid too.

1.4.2 Extra Oscillating Force Case: ẍ + ω 2 x = F0 eiωa t

We have to solve,
ẍ + ω 2 x = F0 eiωα t

We’d use the same as before way,

x = uh + up

Thus, we have,
u¨h + ω 2 uh + u¨p + ω 2 up = F0 eiωα t

For the Homogenous Solution,

u¨h + ω 2 uh = 0 → uh = Aeiωt

For the Particular Solution we have to become little careful,

u¨p + ω 2 up = F0 eiωα t

Let us assume that,

up = Beiωp t

Please note we have used ωp , just in case. Now let’s put this in the differential equation and check the
result,
d2
Beiωp t + ω 2 Beiωp t = F0 eiωα t
dt2
This becomes,
( )
Beiωp t ω 2 − ωp2 = F0 eiωα t

Now if ωp = ωα then, we can factor the eiωα t from both sides and that becomes valid.

Also that it has to be the case because two sides can’t have different angular frequency ωp and ωα .

So, using ωp = ωα , we can get,

F0
B=
ω2 − ωα2

Good, we are done,

F0
x = Aeiωt + eiωα t
ω2 − ωα2

Some books use,

F0
x = Aeiωt + Be−iωt + eiωα t
ω2 − ωα2

Which is perfectly fine.

 Solutions to Difficult Harmonic Motions Drage force case: ẍ + 2γ ẋ + ω 2 x = 0 9

1.4.3 Drage force case: ẍ + 2γ ẋ + ω 2 x = 0

Fun fact I used to be scared of this equation, anyway we have to solve,

ẍ + 2γ ẋ + ω 2 x = 0

Looking closely using Homogenous or Particular solution is useless because this linear differential equa-
tion is Homogenous itself. But don’t worry about this, to solve this, you have to be careful and use a
different ω for solution.

Assume the solution to be,

x = Aeiωk t

You can try using Aeiωt and see it doesn’t work for all case. Now,

d2 ( iωk t ) d ( iωk t )
Ae + 2γ Ae + ω2x = 0
dt2 dt

We get,
−ωk2 + 2iγωk + ω 2 = 0

Solve for ωk here, using the formula for ax2 + bx + c = 0,

√
−b ± b2 − 4ac
x=
2a

We get,
√
ωk = iγ ± i γ 2 − ω 2

It will be either a plus or minus, or both. How? Check the solution,

√ √
x = Ae−γt+t γ −ω + Be−γt−t γ −ω
2 2 2 2

Or another form,
( √ √ )
−γt −t γ 2 −ω 2 t γ 2 −ω 2
x=e Ae + Be

But my favorite way to write this is,

√
x = e−γt (A cos Ωt) Ω= γ 2 − ω2

Which is valid in most of the cases. The reason I like this form because it’s very nice when plotted.

Beware in some cases γ is very small with respect to ω then this equation takes simpler forms or
something γ is so large that no oscillation takes place (because the oscillation equation becomes
completely imaginary and the remaining real part is just of Ae−αt form).
1.4.4 General Case: Drag and Drive together

We have,
ẍ + 2γ ẋ + ω 2 x = F0 eiωα t
Consider, u for Homogenous solution and v for particular. Then,

x=u+v

The Homgoneous solution,

ü + 2γ u̇ + ω 2 u = 0
It’s solution is known from the last section.

The Particular Solution,

v̈ + 2γ v̇ + ω 2 v = F0 eiωα t
Let us assume that,
v = Beiωp t
Thus, putting this in place,
( )
−ωp2 + 2iγωp + ω 2 Beiωp t = F0 eiωα t

We need to have ωp = ωα , we end up with,

(−ωα2 + 2iγωα + ω 2 )B − F0 = 0

So, we have found a solution, it is,

( √ √ ) ( )
−γt −t γ 2 −ω 2 t γ 2 −ω 2 F0
x=e Ae + Be + eiωα t
−ωα + 2iγωα + ω 2
2

We are done with it, but there is this factor with eiωα t which is,
F0
−ωα2 + 2iωα γ + ω 2

which as a i with it, hence turns into a piece that makes the math more interesting (or painful in cases)

This Factor is in the form of an complex (imaginary plus real) number, we can find it’s real part,
( )
1 a
Real =
a + ib a2 + b2

Because,
1 a − ib 1 a b
= = 2 − i
a + ib a − ib a + ib a + b2 a2 + b2
Using this, the real part of the factor is,
( )
F0 ω 2 − ωα2
(ω 2 − ωα2 )2 + (2γωα )2
 Principle of Superposition 11

1.5 Principle of Superposition

We know, Aeiωt solves ẍ + ω 2 x = 0.

Now, the question is, can Beiωt solve it? Yes obviously.

Now, the question is will the sum of two valid solutions Aeiωt and Beiωt solve it? Let’s check,

x = Aeiωt + Beiωt

Hence,
d2
x + ω 2 x = −ω 2 Aeiωt − ω 2 Beiωt + ω 2 Aeiωt + ω 2 Beiωt = 0
dt2
We can see that x = Aeiωt + Beiωt satisfies ẍ + ω 2 x = 0 perfectly.

This is a demontration of the next theorem.

Theorem 1 (Theorem of Superposition) — The sum of valid solutions is also a valid solution for Linear
Differential Equations. And all the differential equaitons we have found so far in the doucment are linear (those
equation that don’t have power above 1).