How To Study A Simple Harmonic Oscillator ?
A mass on a string can oscillate like a harmonic oscillator, as well as a cork on the water level. Or a pendulum, if its deflection is small, behaves like harmonic oscillator. Actually, it will be always damped, but if you choose suitable mass or string, the damping will be small and the system will behave like a simple harmonic oscillator without damping and driving force. So, by observing the time evolution of the amplitude and of the velocity you can study a simple harmonic oscillator. Or, you can explore it by studying the appropriate movement equation d2x/dt2+k/m*x=0.
