Coupled Oscillator: Jonathan Schreven

Coupled Oscillator System

In this problem I would like to explore the solution of a double spring/mass system under the assumption that the blocks are resting on a smooth surface. Our system might look something like this.

Using F=ma we can then find our equations of equilibrium.

Equation 1

${\begin{alignedat}{3}F&=ma\\F&=m{\ddot {x}}\\-k_{1}x_{1}-k_{2}(x_{1}x_{2})&=m_{1}{\ddot {x_{1}}}\\-{k_{1}x_{1} \over {m_{1}}}-{k_{2}(x_{1}-x_{2}) \over {m_{1}}}&=m_{1}{\ddot {x_{1}}}\\-{k_{1}x_{1} \over {m_{1}}}-{k_{2}(x_{1}-x_{2}) \over {m_{1}}}&={\ddot {x_{1}}}\\-{k_{1}+k_{2} \over {m_{1}}}x_{1}+{k_{2} \over {m_{1}}}x_{2}&={\ddot {x_{1}}}\\\end{alignedat}}$

Equation 2

${\begin{alignedat}{3}F&=ma\\F&=m{\ddot {x}}\\-k_{2}(x_{2}-x_{1})&=m_{2}{\ddot {x_{2}}}\\{-k_{2}(x_{2}-x_{1}) \over {m_{2}}}&={\ddot {x_{2}}}\\-{k_{2} \over {m_{2}}}x_{2}+{k_{2} \over {m_{2}}}x_{1}&={\ddot {x_{2}}}\\\end{alignedat}}$

Equation 3

${\dot {x_{1}}}={\dot {x_{1}}}$

Equation 4

${\dot {x_{2}}}={\dot {x_{2}}}$