Coral International School

Physics
Unit-4: Waves and Light
Module-13: Vibrations and Waves

Lesson-1: Periodic Motion

Pages: 338-343

Prepared by: Bahaa Al Richany

Periodic Motion
What are some types of repetitive
(periodic) motion?
 New Vocabulary

periodic motion
period
amplitude
Hooke’s law
simple harmonic motion
simple pendulum
resonance
 Review Vocabulary

gravitational field: a vector quantity that relates

the mass of an object to the gravitational force it
experiences at a given location; represented by
the symbol g.
• Oscillatory motion is the movement of an object
back and forth between two opposing points.

• Any motion that repeats in a regular cycle is an

example of periodic motion.
 Examples of periodic motion

• A mass bobbing up and down on a spring.

• A pendulum
 Examples of periodic motion

• A vibrating guitar string

An oscillating object has one position at which the
net force on it is zero. At that position, the object is
in equilibrium.

Fspring+mg=0

Fspring=-mg
Fspring=mg
• Whenever the object is pulled away from its equilibrium
position, the net force on the system becomes nonzero and
pulls the object back toward equilibrium.

Fspring

• Any system in which the force acting to restore an object to

its equilibrium position is directly proportional to the
displacement of the object shows simple harmonic motion.
Two quantities describe simple harmonic motion:
the period and the amplitude of the motion.

• The period (T) is the

time needed for an object Fspring
to repeat one complete
cycle of the motion. x
• The amplitude of the Rest position

motion is the maximum Initial length of the spring

distance the object moves Fspring

from the equilibrium
x
position.
The frequency is equal to the number of completed
cycles that an object do during one second.

f=1/T

T=1/f
1
T×f=1

T f
Types of periodic motion:
• Circular.
• Rotational.
• Oscillatory

Nature of a periodic motion:

• Periodic.
• simple harmonic
State the type and nature of motion
shown in each of the following
images.
Note: Not every periodic motion is
an oscillatory or simple
harmonic motion.

ex:
•Circular motion is a periodic motion.
•Rotational motion is a periodic
motion.
 Hooke’s Law
• A spring that exerts a force directly proportional to the distance
stretched obeys Hooke’s law.

Fspring
x
Hooke’s Law

F = −kx
• k is the spring constant, which depends on the stiffness and
other properties of the spring.
• x is the distance that the spring is stretched from its
equilibrium position.
 Hooke’s Law

• When a force is applied

to stretch a spring, such
as by hanging an object
on its end, there is a
direct linear
relationship between
the exerted force and
the displacement.
 Hooke’s Law

• The slope of the graph is

equal to the spring
constant, given in units of
newtons per meter.
• The area under the curve
represents work done to
stretch the spring. It
therefore equals the
elastic potential energy
stored in the spring as a
result of that work.
Hooke’s Law
 Potential Energy

• The energy stored in a spring is called elastic potential

energy (EPE).
• The potential energy stored in a spring that obeys
Hooke’s law is proportional to the displacement
squared.
Potential Energy in a Spring

• k is the spring constant.

• x is the distance that the spring is stretched from its
equilibrium position.
Simulation:
Hooke’s Law
 Equilibrium Compressed
Hooke’s Law x
Fg

Use with Example Problem 1. Fsp Fsp

Problem
A 560-N cyclist sits on a bicycle seat and SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
compresses the two springs that support it. The • Use Hooke’s law to find the compression of each
spring constant equals 2.2×104 N/m for each spring.
spring. Fsp  kx
a. How much is each spring compressed? F ½Fg ½560 N
b. By how much does the compression increase x    4
 1.310  2 m
k k 2.210 N/m
each spring’s elastic PE? • Use the relationship among potential energy, the
Response spring constant, and the displacement.
SKETCH AND ANALYZE THE PROBLEM
• Sketch the situation. Draw a force diagram. PEsp  21 kx 2
• List the knowns and unknowns.
  
2
KNOWN UNKNOWN  21 2.210 4 N/m 1.310  2 m  1.9 J
Fsp = Fg/2 = 280 N x=? EVALUATE THE ANSWER
• Displacement is in meters and energy is in
k = 2.2×104 N/m PEsp = ? joules, so the units are correct.
 Pendulums

• Simple harmonic
motion also can be
demonstrated by the
swing of a pendulum.
 Simulation:
Simple Pendulum
 Pendulums

• A simple pendulum consists

of a massive object, called the
bob, suspended by a string or
light rod of length l.
• The period of a pendulum
depends on the length of the
pendulum and the
gravitational field, but not on
the bob’s mass.

Period of a Pendulum
Pendulums

Use with Example Problem 2.

Problem SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
What is the period of a simple pendulum • Use the relationship between the period and
with a length of 0.25 m? the length of the pendulum.

Response 
T  2
SKETCH AND ANALYZE THE g
PROBLEM
• Sketch the situation.
 2
0.25 m
• List the knowns and  9.8 N/kg
unknowns.
ℓ  1.0 s
KNOWN
ℓ = 0.25 EVALUATE THE ANSWER
• The period is in seconds, so the units are
UNKNOWN correct.
• A period of 1 second is reasonable for a 25-
T=?
cm pendulum.
 Resonance

• Resonance occurs when small forces are applied at

regular intervals to a vibrating or oscillating object
and the amplitude of the vibration increases. The
time interval between applications of the force is
equal to the period of oscillation.
• Examples of resonance include the following:
• Rocking a car to free it from a snow bank
• Jumping rhythmically on a trampoline or diving
board
 Quiz

1. Which is NOT an example of periodic motion?

A a mass bobbing on a C a car travelling on a

spring straight road
CORRECT
B a swaying pendulum D a vibrating guitar
string
 Quiz

2. What is the term for the time needed for an object

to complete one full cycle of periodic motion?

A oscillation
B amplitude

C period CORRECT

D wavelength
 Quiz

3. Which equation expresses Hooke’s law?

A C

B
D F = –kx
CORRECT
 Quiz

4. Which is equal to the slope of the graph of exerted

force versus displacement for a spring?

A the spring constant C the period

CORRECT

B the amplitude D the potential energy

stored in the spring
 Quiz

5. Which is the period of a simple pendulum with a

length of 1.5 m?

A 2.5 s CORRECT C 0.98 s

B 0.96 s D 0.31 s