- #1
randomgamernerd
- 139
- 4
Member warned to use the homework template for posts in the homework sections of PF.
Okay, so I have just started with simple harmonic motion(SHM).
So the equation of displacement in my textbook is given as:
X= ACos(wt +x)
where A is the amplitude
X is displacememt from mean position at time t
w is angular frequency
x is phase constant.
Everything going good till now, then comes an illustration where suddenly the equation becomes:
X= ASin(wt +x)
where A is the amplitude
X is displacememt from mean position at time t
w is angular frequency
x is phase constant.
and then onwards in most of the sums they solved with the sin equation and not cos.
I don't get which equation to use when, how and why?
I know every Sin function can be expressed in terms of cos and vice versa, also every SHM is either in the form of Sin or Cos.
But I can't figure out which one to use and why and when.
One observation i made- usually in case of linear SHM about X axis, cos equation is used and in case of linear SHM about y axis, sin equation is used. I used the word usually beacuse that was not the case everytime. Also i don't think this can be a logic as its upto me which one will i take as X axis and which one y if its just a linear SHM.
Someone please help!
So the equation of displacement in my textbook is given as:
X= ACos(wt +x)
where A is the amplitude
X is displacememt from mean position at time t
w is angular frequency
x is phase constant.
Everything going good till now, then comes an illustration where suddenly the equation becomes:
X= ASin(wt +x)
where A is the amplitude
X is displacememt from mean position at time t
w is angular frequency
x is phase constant.
and then onwards in most of the sums they solved with the sin equation and not cos.
I don't get which equation to use when, how and why?
I know every Sin function can be expressed in terms of cos and vice versa, also every SHM is either in the form of Sin or Cos.
But I can't figure out which one to use and why and when.
One observation i made- usually in case of linear SHM about X axis, cos equation is used and in case of linear SHM about y axis, sin equation is used. I used the word usually beacuse that was not the case everytime. Also i don't think this can be a logic as its upto me which one will i take as X axis and which one y if its just a linear SHM.
Someone please help!