Simple Harmonic Motion

Abstract

Bodies that are made to move in a prescribed manner and in a regular repetitive way are said to be moving harmonically. For example, a cam rotating with uniform angular velocity (figure 5.1) will cause a follower to perform the same movements in the same time for each revolution of the cam. Moreover the velocities and accelerations imparted to the follower, by the shape of the cam, will be repeated while the cam is in motion. There are many such examples to be found in engineering.