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A particle executes S.H.M. of amplitude A along the x-axis. At t=0 the position of the particle is x=A/2 and it moves along the positive x-axis. The displacement of the particle at time t is x=A sin(ω t+δ). Then the value of δ will be

Asked in JEE Main 10th April 1st Shift 2023 · Displacement equation and phase

• (1) π/2
• (2) π/6
• (3) π/4
• (4) π/3

Step-by-step solution

Why the other options are wrong

• (1) π/2 is the phase of a particle starting at the extreme x=A, not at A/2.
• (3) Comes from sin δ=1/(√2), that is, from a start at A/(√2).
• (4) Comes from solving cos δ=1/2. The given equation is a sine, so it is sin δ that equals 1/2.

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