The Harmonic Oscillator: Feynman's Physics Explained
The simple back-and-forth of a mass on a spring is one of the most important problems in all of physics, because its equation of motion shows up everywhere: in electrical circuits, in the vibration of atoms in a crystal, in light waves, and even in the probability amplitudes of quantum mechanics. Understand the harmonic oscillator and you hold a master key that unlocks a vast range of natural phenomena.
The big idea
The mass-on-a-spring pattern hides inside almost everything that vibrates.
Think about it
What do a swinging pendulum, a plucked guitar string, and a vibrating atom have in common?
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