or
functions
or a sum ofandfunctions.
A Level Physics Notes: Waves and Oscillations – Displacement, Velocity and Acceleration in Simple Harmonic Motion
Simple harmonic motion is sinusoidal – it can be expressed in
terms oforfunctions
or a sum ofandfunctions.
or
all
imply simple harmonic motion.
If
then
we can find the velocity
and
the acceleration
by
differentiation:
This is illustrated in the diagram below.
Notice that
andhave
opposite signs, andis
larger
in magnitude.
The displacement leads the velocity by
of
a cycle and the velocity leads the acceleration byof
a cycle.