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Answers to Readers' Questions on Physical Science:

Periodic Motion

The following 9 comments and questions have been sent in. They are listed according to date.

List of first 10 items

• Periodic Motion speed and velocity
• Difference between oscillation and periodic motion
• Which object is an example of periodic motion?
• Show how periodic motion is used in life
• Periodic motion applied to heart
• Are vibrations of a tuning fork simple harmonic mo
• Needs examples of periodic motion
• Period of pendulum
• Sensing reality

Next 10

Periodic Motion speed and velocity

Question

November 3, 2009

I really need to know more about the calculations of speed and velocity.pls help me!!

Mariam - Tanzania

18616

Answer

See Pendulum Equations for periodic motion of a pendulum at:

http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/pendulum_equations.htm

Unfortunately, we do not have equations for other types of periodic motion.

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Difference between oscillation and periodic motion

Question

March 3, 2007

My question is : What is the difference between Oscillatory motion and periodic Motion?

Asmita - India

13300

Answer

Periodic motion emphasizes a distinct period or frequency. Oscillatory motion simply says it moves back and forth. The period may or may not be constant. But typically, the word words are interchangeable.

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Which object is an example of periodic motion?

Question

February 16, 2006

the motion of which object is an example of periodic motion?

A)a merry-go-round

B) a swing

C) a car

D) a bicycle wheel

- USA

10116

Answer

Periodic motion is repetitive motion. The swing is the most obvious, but the merry-go-round and bicycle wheel can also be considered to have periodic motion, if circular motion is included in the definition. A car wheel may be but a car itself isn't.

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Show how periodic motion is used in life

Question

January 17, 2006

HI THERE
I HAVE A BIG PROJECT ON PHYSISCS AND I HAVE TO SHOW HOW PEROIDIC MOTION APPLY TO OUR DAILY LIFE OR IN REALISTIC LIFE, SO IFYOU GUYS HELP ME OUT BY GIVING ME EXAMPLES THAT THINGS I SHOPULD DO AND EXPLAINING FOR ME I WILL VERY APPRICIATED THANK YOU

GABE - USA

9708

Answer

The biggest application of periodic motion is in mechanical clocks and watches. But also any motion that repeats itself can be considered. That means that electric motors and gasoline engines exhibit periodic motion.

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Periodic motion applied to heart

Question

June 17, 2005

I am Mathematics student and I have to apply periodic motion on heart and I have to find the amplitude,frequency and speed of heart . For this purpose I need your help .I will waiting for your response.Thanks

Roushan - Pakistan

7294

Answer

The heart is a pump that beats as a periodic motion. The amplitude could be the blood pressure. The frequency is the beats per minute. Speed in this situation is not well-defined. It could be the speed of the blood flow. Or perhaps the teacher is looking for some other type of speed.

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Are vibrations of a tuning fork simple harmonic mo

Question

December 15, 2004

I found your lessons in physics quite helpful.I would wish to know hether the vibrations of a tuning fork represent simple harmonic motion.Would be glad to recieve your response at the earliest.

- Kuwait

5341

Answer

It is considered simple harmonic motion. But in reality, since nothing is perfect, there are always some other vibrations that can be measured. Althought, they are very small.

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Needs examples of periodic motion

Question

January 2, 2004

Hi,
I hope you get this soon because my project is due on Monday the 5th. I have to find examples of periodic motion. I think it periodic motion is just things that repeat over and over again, but they say we need to find the amplitude, wavelength,frequency, and speed of these things. I chose how many times my cat's tongue when she drinks (4laps/second), the pendulum of the clock (1swing/second), and the Moon circling the Earth (?). how would you find the speed, wavelength, ect. for all thoes things? I have been searching so much and really need your help. Thanks. please help ASAP!
Cat

Cat -

1783

Answer

The lesson at http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/periodic.htm says periodic motion has amplitude, period (frequency) and velocity (speed). Wavelength is not mentioned.

You can measure the rate or frequency or period that your cat's tongue moves, the distance or amplitude is moves and how fast it goes.

If an object goes back-and-forth, there will be an amplitude of how far one swing is.

But when an object rotates or moves in a circle, you may have to be careful. Some people or teachers may not accept rotation as periodic motion. But you could define the amplitude as the distance it travels in one revolution.

When the Earth revolves around the Sun, you could call that periodic motion, since it is repeating itself. Since the Sun is 92 million miles from Earth, the period is 1 revolution/365 days, the amplitude or distance is 2 x 3.14 (pi) x 92 million miles. And the speed in miles per day is the distance divided by 365 days.

Other examples of periodic motion are a bouncing ball, your heart beat, any form of wave motion (like water waves), and vibration.

I hope that helps.

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Period of pendulum

Question

December 30, 2003

Does the length of a string affect the periodic motion of a pendulum? Please explain and give a summary of how it can be demonstrated.
Thanks for the lesson so far.
Nora.

Nora -

1769

Answer

The period of a pendulum is proportional to the square root of the length of the string. It is very easy to try it out with a string and small weight.

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Sensing reality

Question

September 17, 2003

At some instant of time we can not really tell the change, the difference in two or more events happening simultaneously, because there are completing the full revolution of change, lying on the common straight line –the radius of rotation. And some times I wonder do we human beings really perceive the right thing, or maybe something is deceiving us- an illusion that fallows as from beginning of time. But anyway whether it is wrong or unproven it will remain relatively correct to our human senses, for us long the logical beauty is alive, in the world of human art-to be unique.

Felix -

554

Answer

Thanks for your feedback. Everything we perceive is relative to our surroundings. We don't feel the motion of the Earth, because we are moving with it. Likewise, there are other things we perceive that may be completely different to an observers outside our environment. In fact, the laws of logic may be different in other parts of the Universe.

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