12: Harmonic Oscillator
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- 33005
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Figure 12.1 illustrates the prototypical harmonic oscillator, the mass-spring system. A mass M is attached to one end of a spring. The other end of the spring is attached to something rigid such as a wall. The spring exerts a restoring force \(F=-k x\) on the mass when it is stretched by an amount x, i. e., it acts to return the mass to its initial position. This is called Hooke’s law and k is called the spring constant.