One end of a spring of negligible unstretched length and spring constant
k is fixed at the origin
(0,0). A point particle of mass
m carrying a positive charge
q is attached at its other end. The entire system is kept on a smooth horizontal surface. When a point dipole
→ppointing towards the charge
q is fixed at the origin, the spring gets stretched to a length
l and attains a new equilibrium position (see figure below). If the point mass is now displaced slightly by
Δl<<l from its equilibrium position and released, it is found to oscillate at frequency
1δ√km. The value of
δ is