Assumptions - Energy Conservation in Simple
Harmonic Motion (Vertical Spring)
The applet demonstrates energy conservation for a weighted
vertical spring performing simple harmonic motion.
It is assumed that
- the spring obeys Hooke's Law throughout the spring's range of motion, i.e.,
that the amount by which the spring is stretched from its unstretched
length is proportional to the force applied to the spring;
- the spring is massless;
- the system is frictionless;
- the potential energy has the value 0 when the block is at its
equilibrium position.
The suspension point of the spring is located somewhere above the
applet window. Its location above the window is adjusted by the applet
such that the block's equilibrium position for any mass
m and any spring constant k is always in the center of
the applet window.