In this lesson, students will simulate a mass attached to a spring as it oscillates in simple harmonic motion.

• Students will analyze energy transformation for a mass attached to a spring as it oscillates in Simple Harmonic Motion.
• Students will explore the Conservation of Energy principle.

• conservation of energy
• gravitational potential energy
• kinetic energy
• spring potential energy
• total mechanical energy

This lesson simulates a mass attached to a spring as it oscillates in simple harmonic motion. In the first part of the lesson the mass oscillates across a frictionless, horizontal surface. In the second part, the mass is suspended from the spring and oscillates vertically. Bar graphs represent the potential and kinetic energies of the system.
As a result, students will:

• Observe how energy transforms between potential energy and kinetic energy as the mass moves through its cycle.
• Describe factors that affect the total energy of the system and the maximum speed of the mass.
• Observe that the total energy remains constant throughout the motion.