What Is This Formula?

[cabinetman]

A buddy sent me this and told me to figure it out. I'm stumped.
.

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[bruce hylton]

I have no education in the field, so it must be electrical or Greek.

[jkristia]

google for 'a sin omega t' gives this hint

The mathematical properties of a wave
http://physics.about.com/od/mathemat...emechanics.htm

Not sure if THAT is any help - I certainly do not understand it

[jziegler]

With the picture of a spring there, it looks mechanical, not electrical to me. Looks like the oscillation of a mass (m) on an ideal spring with a spring constant of k. If I'm right, that a pretty common physics 1 type problem (been a few years). I'm not sure if that equation matches.

Of course, that would be for an ideal, frictionless system in a vacuum, and with the mass being a point mass. The eqautions get messy as soon as you start adding any of those types of effects.

Jim

[Wood_workur]

That is the physics equation for the position of a oscillating spring at a time t. A is the amplitude, omega has to do with the starting position (the phasor), k is the spring constant, m is the mass at the end of the spring, and t is the time.

[Uncle Cracker]

Looks like a harmonic oscillation formula, but I don't recognize the application. Maybe earthquakes, ocean waves or ping-pong balls bouncing in a vacuum.

[LCHIEN]

equation for oscillation of the spring and weight. Y is the vertical position of the mass and wt is the frequency in radians per second and t is time. A is the initial height.
K is the spring constant (in something like cm/kg) and m is the mass in somthing like kg. Everyone here i assume knows how to convert radians per second to Hertz or revolutions per minute???

it's an ideal equation as its not damped by any friction terms and will oscillate forever as you can tell by looking.

[TB Roye]

Ok, now what ? Way behond me

Tom

[Wood_workur]

equation for oscillation of the spring and weight. Y is the vertical position of the mass and wt is the frequency in radians per second and t is time. A is the initial height.
K is the spring constant (in something like cm/kg) and m is the mass in somthing like kg. Everyone here i assume knows how to convert radians per second to Hertz or revolutions per minute???

it's an ideal equation as its not damped by any friction terms and will oscillate forever as you can tell by looking.

I'm thinking this is the amplitude because it is multiplying the entire equation (which would provide the height if the amplitude was NOT 1), and the initial position would be added to the omega*t. I think this equation assumes an initial position of 0.

Also, I believe that the spring constant is generally given as force/distance, such as kg/cm. Otherwise this equation would out to have the square root of cm/kg^2.

[jziegler]

I'm thinking this is the amplitude because it is multiplying the entire equation (which would provide the height if the amplitude was NOT 1), and the initial position would be added to the omega*t. I think this equation assumes an initial position of 0.

Also, I believe that the spring constant is generally given as force/distance, such as kg/cm. Otherwise this equation would out to have the square root of cm/kg^2.

In this case, amplitude and initial position are the same. sin(0) = 1. You would release at t=0 from position A

Jim

[Wood_workur]

In this case, amplitude and initial position are the same. sin(0) = 1. You would release at t=0 from position A

Jim

Sin(0) is 0. Cos(0) is 1.

[radhak]

My 10 year old chimes in : it's a formula for fun.

If you jump on 'y' with your skateboard it sproiinnngs you onto A and then you go wheeee onto the bottom of the pit and by then you would have gained enough momentum (ok, that's my word) to go all the way up to the next ramp and if you can manage to go over it you could complete it before you run out of time.

[JR]

My 10 year old chimes in : it's a formula for fun.

I am totally buying it, Dude!

JR

[Mr__Bill]

It explains why the work expands to fill the time allowed.





Bill

[Sid]

I recognize the formula from my physics major classes (MANY years ago) but the last time I saw it was in an e-mail, which I wouldn't be allowed to reproduce here, where it purported to mathematically describe a video of the harmonic motion of certain jiggly body parts.

Might that be where you saw it, C'man?

Sid