Stage–2 | Page–6
Time Period, Amplitude Change & Energy Injection in SHM

Where most students lose marks — and toppers gain them


Time Period in SHM (Reinforced)

Time period depends only on system parameters — not on amplitude or energy.

Spring–Mass System: T = 2π √(m / k)
Simple Pendulum (small oscillations): T = 2π √(ℓ / g)
  • Independent of amplitude
  • Independent of energy
  • Depends only on restoring force parameters

IIT Trap #1 – Amplitude Change ≠ Time Period Change

Changing amplitude changes energy, not time period.

Many students incorrectly modify time period when amplitude is changed.


Energy Injection in SHM

Energy injection means giving extra energy to the oscillator (by hit, push, collision, sudden release).

New Energy ∝ (New Amplitude)²
  • Amplitude changes
  • Frequency remains same
  • Motion remains SHM

How Amplitude Changes

If Energy becomes n times → Amplitude becomes √n times
  • Energy doubles → Amplitude increases by √2
  • Energy becomes 4 times → Amplitude doubles

Sudden Stop / Sudden Release Cases

Very common in JEE Advanced.

  • Block suddenly stopped → kinetic energy converts to PE
  • String cut suddenly → new equilibrium shifts
  • Mass added suddenly → amplitude changes
Golden Rule:
During sudden change, position does not change instantly.

Sudden Change in Mass

If mass is suddenly changed:

  • Equilibrium position shifts
  • New SHM starts about new mean
  • Amplitude must be calculated from geometry + energy

Time Period After Sudden Change

New T depends on new system parameters only
  • Amplitude irrelevant
  • Energy irrelevant
  • Only m, k, ℓ, g matter

IIT Trap #2 – Mixing Energy with Phase

  • Energy tells amplitude
  • Phase tells position & velocity direction
  • Never mix them blindly

How IIT Toppers Solve These Problems

  • Step 1: Identify sudden vs gradual change
  • Step 2: Fix old equilibrium
  • Step 3: Find new equilibrium
  • Step 4: Use energy to get new amplitude
  • Step 5: Use formula only at the end

Next: Stage–2 Page–7

  • Phase, initial conditions & phase constant
  • Writing equation of SHM directly
  • High-accuracy JEE problems

Stage–2 Page–6 Completed ✔ You now dominate amplitude & energy questions 🔥

No comments:

Post a Comment

  📘 IIT–JEE Physics Complete Master Library (Class XI & XII) Concepts • Problems • Advanced Applications • Thinking Skill...