Nonlinear oscillator acceleration and period variation with amplitude

Abstract

A classic nonlinear spring mass oscillator, the nonlinearity of which could be varied by changing the initial stretching of the spring, was used to investigate how the amplitude dependence of the period and the harmonic content depended on the nonlinearity. The oscillations were measured with a photogate and a MEMS accelerometer, allowing both the oscillation period and the Fourier components of the motion to be precisely determined. The results were in good agreement with theory.