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In physics, simple harmonic motion (SHM) is the motion of a simple harmonic oscillator, a motion that is neither driven nor damped. A body in simple harmonic motion experiences a single force which is given by Hooke's law; that is, the force is directly proportional to the displacement x and points in the opposite direction. The frequency of the motion is determined by the intrinsic properties of the system (often the mass of the body and a force constant), while the amplitude and phase are determined by the initial conditions (displacement and velocity) of the system. The kinetic and potential energies of the system are also determined by these properties and conditions. A typical example of a system that undergoes simple harmonic motion is an idealized spring\–mass system, which is a mass attached to a spring. If the spring is unstretched, there is no net force on the mass (that is, the system is in mechanical equilibrium). However, if the mass is displaced from equilibrium, the spring will exert a restoring force, which is a force that tends to restore the mass to the equilibrium position. In the case of the spring\–mass system, this force is the elastic force, which is given by Hooke's Law. As long as the system does not lose energy, the mass will continue to oscillate like so; thus, the motion is termed periodic motion