====== Simple Harmonic Motion and Mechanical Resonance (NOTES/IDEAS) ======

====== Experiment Outline ======

Day 1:
  - Have students build oscillators, with a focus on variety
  - Class discussion on commonalities between builds
  - Each group chooses a single system and measure the period
  - Groups systematically change initial amplitude and see if period is affected
    - No effect: Possible harmonic oscillator
    - Effect: Not a simple harmonic oscillator
  - Move to common system: Mass on a spring
  - similar measurement of period
  - Characterize spring constant
  - Introduce rotary encoder as measurement device
Day 2:
  - Pick up with spring system again
  - Introduce air tracks as a way to optimize setup by reducing friction
  - Students characterize SHO behavior
  - Students add damping term, characterize changes
    - How damping interacts with spring constant/mass
    - How damping affects period
  - Students add driving term
    - Investigate frequency/amplitude relationship

----

====== Mechanical Resonance Options ======

  * **Option 1** - Use air tracks for all groups
    * Use springs/carts on day 1 as known system
      * Can vary cart mass / spring tension
    * Can add damping & driving day 2


  * **Option 2** - Open-ended setup 
    * Day 1 - Students given supplies, asked to make something that oscillates, such as:
      * Pendulum
      * Suspended spring
      * Torsion pendulum
      * rocking motion from curved body
      * marble running on semi-circle track
    * Students do something to characterize motion
      * Video analysis with tracker
      * Timing maximum amplitudes
    * Students asked to keep type of system the same but change the period at least twice, in different ways if possible
    * Day 2: Add in discussion/usage of damping and/or driving
      * Damping would be natural in most experiments in some form
      * Driving could be difficult to add arbitrarily
      * Analysis would almost certainly require Tracker and video


  * **Option 3** - Hanging springs only
    * Students only work with masses hanging from springs / elastic
    * Make it so that many springs and masses are available
      * Option to use springs side-by-side could be cool
      * Would be easier to use with photogate, maybe.
        * Might have to add a flag to the edge to pass through gate
    * Day 2: Damping/Driving could be done more readily with motors and coupling string/spring

----
Option 1 Pros:
  * Already have equipment, software, etc
  * Known quantity since we've done it before
Cons:
  * Blowers are pretty loud
  * No meaningful apparatus building

----

Option 2 Pros:
  * Similar style of apparatus design as other labs this quarter
Cons:
  * Measurement is problematic
  * Need materials quickly

----

Option 3 Pros:
  * Have equipment already
  * Has a few more options to explore than Option 1
Cons:
  * Still would need to come up with measurement setup
  * Springs will likely die at the hands of students