  The work describes an analogy-based small oscillations analysis of a standard
static equilibrium lab problem. In addition to force analysis, a potential
energy function for the system is developed, and by drawing out mathematical
similarities to the simple harmonic oscillator, we are able to describe (and
verify) the period of small oscillations about the static equilibrium state.
The problem was developed and implemented in a standard University Physics
course at Winona State University.
