Final answer:
Examples of simple harmonic motion in everyday life include a child swinging at small angles, a yo-yo's steady up-and-down movement, and a pendulum in a grandfather clock, all demonstrating oscillation around an equilibrium point with a restoring force proportional to displacement.
Step-by-step explanation:
Examples of simple harmonic motion (SHM) that can be observed in everyday life include several scenarios where repetitive oscillation occurs around an equilibrium position with a restoring force directly proportional to the displacement. Here are three examples:
A child gently swinging on a playground swing at small angles is exhibiting SHM since, for small displacements, the force that brings the swing back to its resting position is proportional to the displacement, similar to a pendulum.
A yo-yo moving up and down in a steady pattern also demonstrates simple harmonic motion, provided that the up-and-down motion is regular and the force restoring it towards its equilibrium position is proportional to its displacement.
A pendulum in a grandfather clock is one of the most classic examples of simple harmonic motion, where the weight or bob swings through a small arc at regular intervals. The restoring force here is due to gravity pulling the pendulum back towards its equilibrium position.
It's essential to note that simple harmonic motion is an idealisation, and in reality, there may be some damping due to friction and other forces, but these examples approximate SHM closely under certain conditions, such as small amplitudes of swing or motion. Larger displacements may not follow the precise definition of SHM due to the restoring force not being perfectly proportional to displacement.