Simple Harmonic Motion · Interactive

SHM Explorer

A mass bobs back and forth about its equilibrium point, pulled always toward centre by a restoring force. Watch energy slosh smoothly between kinetic and potential — fastest at the middle, frozen at the turning points — while the period stays stubbornly fixed.

Kinetic Potential Velocity Spring · horizontal oscillator

Setup

Mass m 1.0 kg
Spring constant k 40 N/m
Amplitude A 10.0 cm
Damping γ 0.00 /s
1.00 s
Period T
1.00
freq f (Hz)
6.28
ω (rad/s)
0.63
v_max (m/s)
3.95
a_max (m/s²)
KE0.0 J
PE0.0 J
T = 2π√(m/k) E = ½kA² v_max = Aω

Playback

Try this: raise the mass and the block slows down — the period grows as √m while amplitude and total energy hold steady. Nudge damping above zero and the swing decays, its envelope shrinking as e−γt.