What is the phase difference between the displacement and acceleration in simple
Practice Questions
Q1
What is the phase difference between the displacement and acceleration in simple harmonic motion?
0 degrees
90 degrees
180 degrees
270 degrees
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
What is the phase difference between the displacement and acceleration in simple harmonic motion?
Correct Answer: 180 degrees
Step 1: Understand simple harmonic motion (SHM). In SHM, an object moves back and forth around a central point.
Step 2: Identify the two key quantities: displacement (the position of the object from the central point) and acceleration (how quickly the object's velocity is changing).
Step 3: Note that in SHM, when the object is at its maximum displacement (farthest from the center), the acceleration is at its maximum but directed towards the center.
Step 4: Recognize that when the displacement is positive (to one side), the acceleration is negative (towards the center), and vice versa.
Step 5: Conclude that the acceleration is always in the opposite direction to the displacement.
Step 6: Since opposite directions correspond to a phase difference of 180 degrees, we determine that the phase difference between displacement and acceleration in SHM is 180 degrees.
