Lecture D34 : Coupled Oscillators
Spring-Mass System (Undamped/Unforced)
Force on m
1
: F
1
= ?k
1
x
1
?k
2
(x
1
?x
2
)
Force on m
2
: F
2
= k
2
(x
1
?x
2
)
Newton’s Second Law
¨
m
1
x
1
= ?k
1
x
1
?k
2
(x
1
?x
2
)
¨m
2
x
2
= k
2
(x
1
?x
2
)
1
? ? ? ?
? ?
Solution
Try solution of the form:
x
1
(t) = X
1
sin(ωt+φ), x
2
(t) = X
2
sin(ωt+φ)
and see if we can ?nd X
1
, X
2
, ω and φ such
that the equation is satis?ed
(m
1
ω
2
?k
1
?k
2
)X
1
+ k
2
X
2
= 0
k
2
X
1
+ (m
2
ω
2
?k
2
)X
2
= 0
or,
X
1
0
[A] =
X
2
0
where,
m
1
ω
2
?k
1
?k
2
k
2
[A] =
k
2
m
2
ω
2
?k
2
2
Natural Frequencies
For non-trivial solutions we need
D(ω) = det[A] = 0
D(ω) := m
1
m
2
ω
4
?(m
1
k
2
+ m
2
(k
1
+ k
2
))ω
2
+ k
1
k
2
We can solve for ω
2
,
m
1
k
2
+ m
2
(k
1
+ k
2
)±
√
Δ
ω
2
=
±
2m
1
m
2
where,
Δ = (m
1
k
2
+ m
2
(k
1
+ k
2
))
2
?4m
1
m
2
k
1
k
2
We can show
Δ > 0?
√
Δ < m
1
k
2
+ m
2
(k
1
+ k
2
)?
. . . ω are real
±
3
? ?
?
Normal Modes
X
1
and X
2
will satisfy
(m
1
ω
2
1
+ k
2
X
±
= 0
±
?k
1
?k
2
)X
±
2
k
2
X
1
+ (m
2
ω
2
2
= 0
±
?k
2
)X
±
. . . the same equation!!
X
2
±
m
1
ω
2
±
?k
1
?k
2
γ ±δ= =?
X
1
k
2
? ?
2
m
1
m
1
k
1
+ k
2
γ =
2m
2
?
k
1
+ k
2
, δ =
2m
2
?
2k
2
+
m
1
k
2
2k
2
m
2
4
2
General Solution Unforced Problem
1
sin(ω
?
t + φ
+
)+ X
+
x
1
(t) = X
?
1
sin(ω
+
t + φ
+
)
2
sin(ω
?
t + φ
+
)+ X
+
x
2
(t) = X
?
2
sin(ω
+
t + φ
+
)
Constants X
±
, φ to be determined as a
1
±
function of initial conditions x
1
(0), x
2
(0),
x˙
1
(0) and ˙x
2
(0)
Note that X
±
12
are determined once X
±
are
known
5
Forced Oscillation
Spring-Mass System (Undamped)
F
1
= ?k
1
x
1
?k
2
(x
1
?x
2
)+ F(t)
F
2
= k
2
(x
1
?x
2
)
Newton’s Second Law
¨
m
1
x
1
= ?k
1
x
1
?k
2
(x
1
?x
2
)+ F
0
sin ωt
¨m
2
x
2
= k
2
(x
1
?x
2
)
6
Solution
p
c
p
x
1
(t) = x
1
c
(t)+ x
1
(t), x
2
(t) = x
2
(t)+ x
2
(t)
c
x
1
(t) and x
2
c
(t) are solutions of the unforced
problem and we already know
p p
We try a particular solution, x
1
(t) and x
2
(t)
of the form
p p
1
sin ωt, x
2
(t) = X
p
x
1
(t) = X
p
2
sin ωt
(m
1
ω
2
?k
1
?k
2
)X
p
1
+ k
2
X
p
= F
0
2
1
+ (m
2
ω
2
?k
2
)X
p
= 0k
2
X
p
2
1
and X
p
We can solve for X
p
2
if D(ω) =negationslash 0
7
negationslash negationslash
±
Solution (cont’d)
X
p
=
(?m
2
ω
2
+ k
2
)F
0
, X
p
=
k
2
F
0
1
D(ω)
2
D(ω)
Recall
?
)(ω
2
?ω
2
D(ω) = m
1
m
2
(ω
2
?ω
2
+
)
D(ω) = 0 implies that ω = ω
Response for m
1
= m
2
, k
1
= k
2
5
4
3
2
1
0
1
2
3
4
5
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5
p
p
8
Courtesy of Prof. Martinez-Sanchez. Used with permission.
Courtesy of Prof. Martinez-Sanchez. Used with permission.
Courtesy of Prof. Martinez-Sanchez. Used with permission.
Courtesy of Prof. Martinez-Sanchez. Used with permission.
Courtesy of Prof. Martinez-Sanchez. Used with permission.
Courtesy of Prof. Martinez-Sanchez. Used with permission.
Courtesy of Prof. Martinez-Sanchez. Used with permission.