Which of the following expressions corresponds to simple harmonic motion along a straight line, where x is the displacement and a, b, c are positive constants?
a+bx-cx^2
bx^2
a-bx+cx^2
-bx
Solution:
In case of a simple harmonic motion, the equation should be a linear polynomial in terms of the displacement. This can be understood using Hooke's law F=-kx. Hence, the expression that correctly explains SHM is -bx