Notes from the Physics Teaching Lab: A Magneto-Mechanical Harmonic Oscillator
Physics Education
2026-03-31 v1
Abstract
We describe a magnetically driven torsional oscillator that is well suited for teaching the physics of simple harmonic motion using a collection of hands-on, quantitative experiments. The mechanical Q of the system can be tuned using eddy-current damping, while optical read-outs provide electronic signals than can be recorded using nothing more than a basic digital oscilloscope. The 40-Hz oscillator is described by simple harmonic motion to high accuracy, providing many satisfying comparisons between theory and experiment.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2603.28647,
title = {Notes from the Physics Teaching Lab: A Magneto-Mechanical Harmonic Oscillator},
author = {Kenneth G. Libbrecht},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2603.28647},
year = {2026}
}