Small Oscillations via Conservation of Energy in a Simple Static Equilibrium Problem

Abstract

The work describes an analogy-based small oscillations analysis of a standard static equilibrium lab problem. In addition to force analysis, a potential energy function for the system is developed, and by drawing out mathematical similarities to the simple harmonic oscillator, we are able to describe (and verify) the period of small oscillations about the static equilibrium state. The problem was developed and implemented in a standard University Physics course at Winona State University.