Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - SHS 3
KINEMATICS
Download the Lessonotes Mobile Ghana app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
KINEMATICS
Download the Lessonotes Mobile Ghana app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
Subject: Physics
Class: SHS 3
Term: 1st Term
Week: 12
Grade code: 3.1.2.LI.3
Strand code: 1
Sub-strand code: 2
Content standard code: 3.1.2.CS.1
Indicator code: 3.1.2.LI.3
Theme: MECHANICS AND MATTER
Subtheme: KINEMATICS
This page supports the lesson note with a companion video and a short classroom-ready summary.
For class groups and homework, share this lesson page so learners also get the summary, objectives, and full lesson context.
This lesson explores the fascinating world of oscillations, specifically Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM). We see SHM all around us in Ghana: a child swinging on an "antoakyire" at the park, the gentle sway of a pendulum in a grandfather clock, or even the vibration of a car's suspension system on a bumpy road like the N1 highway. Today, we will go beyond just describing this motion. We will investigate what happens to the energy of the object as it oscillates. We will see how energy is continuously transformed from one form to another, while the total energy, in an ideal case, remains constant.
A. What is Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM)?
Simple Harmonic Motion is a special type of periodic motion or oscillation where the restoring force is directly proportional to the displacement and acts in the direction opposite to that of displacement.
In simpler terms: Periodic Motion: It repeats itself in a regular time interval. Restoring Force: A force that always tries to pull or push the object back to its central, stable position. Directly Proportional to Displacement: The further you pull the object from its centre, the stronger the restoring force pulls it back.
The mathematical definition is F = -kx, where: F is the restoring force. k is the force constant (a measure of the stiffness of the spring or system). x is the displacement from the equilibrium position. The negative sign (-) is very important! It indicates that the force F is always directed opposite to the displacement x.