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Energy
of a Simple Harmonic Oscillator
The energy of a simple harmonic oscillator changes from one kind to another but the total energy remains the same.
Etot = (1/2) m v2 + (1/2) k x2 = constant
This will be true of all simple harmonic oscillators. Another example is that of a simple pendulum, shown here:
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(c) Doug Davis, 2001; all rights reserved
SHM UCM Return to ToC, Simple Harmonic Motion