Oscillations and Waves

Periodic and Oscillatory Motion


  • Periodic motion is motion of an object that regularly returns to a given position after a fixed time interval.
  • An oscillation is a special type of periodic motion in which a particle moves to and fro about a fixed point called mean position of particle
  • Period is not changed by multiplying or dividing by a constant.
  • If the displacement of a particle is periodic motion is expressed by harmonic functions like sine or cosine such a motion is called harmonic motion.
  • Every oscillatory motion is periodic but all periodic motion need not be oscillatory.

Oscillatory View the Topic in this video From 1:03 To 12:02

Period and Frequency View the Topic in this video From 0:19 To 7:59

Displacement View the Topic in this video From 0:20 To 6:02

View the Topic in this video From 0:18 To 07:27

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The smallest intervals of time after which the motion in repeated is called its time period. It is related to frequency v by T = \frac{1}{v}