Lesson 5.3.2

5.3.2 Energy of a simple harmonic oscillator Quiz: OCR Physics, Unit 4

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 5.3.2, Energy of a simple harmonic oscillator: 20 multiple choice questions for the OCR Physics (H156), Unit 4: Newtonian world and astrophysics, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What energy exchange occurs during simple harmonic motion?

    • Kinetic and potential
    • Light and thermal
    • Thermal and kinetic
    • Potential and nuclear

  2. What is the kinetic energy of a simple harmonic oscillator at maximum displacement?

    • Equal to total
    • Zero
    • Half maximum
    • Maximum

  3. What is the potential energy of a simple harmonic oscillator at its equilibrium position?

    • Half maximum
    • Zero
    • Maximum
    • Infinite

  4. A 0.50 kg oscillator has omega = 4.0 rad/s and amplitude 0.10 m. What is its total energy? (E = 1/2 m omega^2 A^2)

    • 0.040 J
    • 0.20 J
    • 0.0040 J
    • 0.10 J

  5. What shape is the potential energy against displacement graph for a simple harmonic oscillator?

    • Circle
    • Straight line
    • Parabola
    • Sinusoidal wave

  6. If the amplitude of a simple harmonic oscillator is doubled, its total energy becomes:

    • 8 times as large
    • unchanged
    • 2 times as large
    • 4 times as large

  7. A spring of stiffness 100 N/m oscillates with amplitude 0.10 m. At displacement 0.05 m, what is the kinetic energy?

    • 0.13 J
    • 0.25 J
    • 0.38 J
    • 0.50 J

  8. What happens to the total mechanical energy of an undamped simple harmonic oscillator?

    • Oscillates periodically
    • Decreases exponentially
    • Increases linearly
    • Remains constant

  9. At what displacement do the kinetic and potential energies of an SHM oscillator of amplitude A become equal?

    • A sqrt(2)
    • A
    • A/sqrt(2)
    • A/2

  10. At half the amplitude, what fraction of the total energy is potential energy?

    • 1/4
    • 1/2
    • 1/3
    • 3/4

  11. A spring of stiffness 200 N/m oscillates with amplitude 0.050 m. What is its total energy?

    • 2.5 J
    • 0.25 J
    • 5.0 J
    • 0.025 J

  12. The gradient of the potential energy against displacement graph for an oscillator gives:

    • the period
    • the total energy
    • the amplitude
    • the restoring force

  13. What type of energy does a pendulum bob have at maximum displacement?

    • Thermal energy only
    • Potential energy only
    • Kinetic energy only
    • Nuclear energy only

  14. At which position during simple harmonic motion is kinetic energy equal to total energy?

    • Maximum displacement
    • Equilibrium position
    • Half-amplitude position
    • Amplitude position

  15. What factor changes total energy if the amplitude of a simple harmonic oscillator is halved?

    • One quarter
    • One half
    • One eighth
    • Double

  16. A 0.20 kg oscillator of spring constant 80 N/m has amplitude 0.20 m. At displacement 0.10 m, what is its speed?

    • 3.5 m/s
    • 6.0 m/s
    • 0.5 m/s
    • 1.2 m/s

  17. If both the mass and the amplitude of an oscillator are doubled with the same spring, the total energy becomes:

    • unchanged
    • 2 times as large
    • 8 times as large
    • 4 times as large

  18. A pendulum bob has a maximum speed of 0.50 m/s and mass 0.10 kg. What is its kinetic energy at equilibrium?

    • 0.25 J
    • 0.013 J
    • 0.050 J
    • 0.0025 J

  19. What line shape represents total energy on an energy-displacement graph for an ideal oscillator?

    • Parabolic curve
    • Horizontal line
    • Sloping line
    • Vertical line

  20. A spring stores 0.36 J of potential energy at displacement 0.060 m. What is its stiffness?

    • 100 N/m
    • 400 N/m
    • 200 N/m
    • 20 N/m

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