Harmonic oscillations and the oscillation process graph

To answer the question of what oscillations are called harmonic, it should be borne in mind that these physical phenomena are some of their most common in nature. Perhaps it is difficult to specify a sphere where harmonic oscillations are not present. The most common areas of physical theory, in which oscillatory processes are studied, are mechanics, electrical engineering and electronics, radiolocation and hydroacoustics, and others.

All these regions are united, without exception, by the fact that the nature of oscillatory processes, as a rule, is the same, and therefore for their description there is a general classical theory. Parametric differences in the oscillatory processes are due only to the medium of their flow and external factors that can affect the vibrational motion. The simplest example of the vibrational movements that we encounter everyday in everyday life are, for example, oscillations of the pendulum clock, or electric current.

Oscillations by the nature of their flow are free and harmonic. Free vibrations are also called intrinsic, this emphasizes that they as their source have external perturbations of the environment, which lead the physical body out of static equilibrium. An example can serve as a weigher, which is suspended on a thread, and to which we impulse to set an oscillatory process.

A more significant place in physical theory is given to the study of such a phenomenon as harmonic oscillations. The study of their nature is precisely what forms the theoretical basis on which the study of narrower aspects of oscillatory processes is based, namely, their flow in various environments - mechanics, electricity, chemical transformations and reactions.

To describe the harmonic oscillations in physics, basic parameters such as period and frequency are used.

Proceeding from our earlier statement that there is some general universal model for the flow of oscillatory processes, we can logically come to the conclusion that there are certain universal quantities that characterize these fluctuations. Consequently, the parameters mentioned-period and frequency-are inherent in all types of oscillations, regardless of the source of their generation and the medium of their flow.

The frequency is a quantitative quantity that shows how many times during a certain period of time the physical body has made a process of changing its static state and returned to it. So, for example, you can count how many times, the same weight has made oscillations after we pushed it until its complete stop.

The period in this process will show the time interval for which this weight will deviate from the original position and return to the original one for one swing.

Investigating harmonic oscillations, it should be understood that the period and frequency are objectively connected by a general formula, which ultimately determines the harmonic oscillation schedule. To better understand what it is, it should be noted that there are other parametric indicators - amplitude, phase, cyclic frequency. Their use makes it possible to use trigonometric functions to describe oscillatory processes. The most common formula for plotting is the following: s = A sin (ωt + α). This formula, also called the harmonic oscillation equation, allows us to construct a graph of the oscillation process, which in its simplest form is an ordinary sinusoid. In the example of the above formula, the coefficients ω and α indicate which transformations must be performed with a sinusoid to display a particular oscillatory process.

With more complex oscillation phenomena, their graphical description is naturally complicated. This complication is due to the impact of two main factors:

- the nature of the process, that is, the kind of vibrations that are being investigated - mechanical, electromagnetic, cyclic or other;

- the environment within which vibrational phenomena are generated and carried out - air, water or otherwise.

These factors significantly affect all parameters of any oscillatory process.