Oscillations and Waves

1. Periodic Motion. It is that motion which is identically repeated

after a fixed interval of time. The fixed interval of time after which the
motion is repeated is called Period of motion.
For example, the revolution of earth around the sun is a periodic
motion. Its period of revolution is one year.
2. Oscillatory motion or vibratory motion. It is that motion in
which a body moves to and fro or back and forth repeatedly about a
fixed point (called mean position), in a definite interval of time. In such
a motion, the body is confined within well defined limits (called
extreme position) on either side of mean position.
For example, the motion of the pendulum of a wall clock is oscillatory
motion.
The oscillatory motions are periodic motions but the periodic motions
may not be oscillatory motions.
3. Periodic function. These are those functions which are used to
represent periodic motion. A function f(t) is said to be periodic if f(t)
= f(t + T) = f(t + 2T)
where T is called the periodic function. sin and cos are the example of
periodic functions with period equal to 2 radians, because
sin = sin ( + 2) = sin ( + 4) and so on;
cos = cos( + 2) = cos ( + 4) and so on.

4.Angular frequency () of a body executing periodic motion is

equal to the product of frequency of the body with a factor 2, i.e.,
= v x 2 = 2v ; SI unit of is rad/s.
5. Displacement. In general, the name displacement is given to a
physical quantity which undergoes a change with time in a periodic
motion; such as position, angle, pressure, electric and magnetic fields,
etc.

6. Phase. Phase of a vibrating particle at any instant is a physical

quantity which completely expresses the position and direction of
motion of the particle at that instant with respect to its mean position.
It is measured either in terms of fraction of time period or fraction of
2 angle, which has elapsed since the vibrating particle has crossed its
mean
position
in
the
positive
direction.
In Oscillatory motion, the phase of a vibrating particle is the argument of
sine or cosine function involved to represent the generalized equation of
motion of the vibrating particle.
7. Phase difference between two vibrating particles tells the lack of
harmony in the vibrating states of the two particles at a given instant.
8. Simple Harmonic Motion. It is a special type of periodic motion, in
which a particle moves to and fro repeatedly about a mean position
and the magnitude of force acting on the particle at any instant is
directly proportional to the displacement of the particle from the mean
position at that instant i.e.,
F = -ky
where k is known as force constant. Here, -ve sign shows that the restoring
force (F) is always directed towards the mean position.
The displacement of the particle executing S.H.M. at an instant can be
expressed in terms of one single harmonic function. Hence it is called S.H.M.
Geometrical in S.H.M. S.H.M. is defined as the projection of a uniform
circular motion on any diameter of a circle of reference.
9. Displacement in S.H.M. The displacement of a particle executing
S.H.M. at an instant is defined as the distance of the particle from the
mean position at that instant. It can be given by the relation
y = a sin t

or y = a cos t.

The first relation is valid when the time is measured from the mean position
and the second relation is valid when the time is measured from the
extreme position of the particle executing S.H.M. along a st. path.
The maximum displacement on either side of mean position is called
amplitude of motion. The direction of displacement is always away from

the mean position whether the particle is moving away from or coming
towards the mean position.
10. Velocity in S.H.M. It is defined as the time rate of change of the
displacement of the particle at the given instant. Velocity in S.H.M. is
given by
V = dy = d ( a sin t) = a cos t = a 1sin t

= a 1 y /a =

a y
dt dt
At mean position, velocity is maximum ( =a) and at extreme position, the
velocity is zero, of a particle executing S.H.M. The maximum value of
velocity is called velocity amplitude in S.H.M.
11. Damped oscillation. when a simple harmonic system oscillates with
a decreasing amplitude with time, its oscillations are called damped
oscillation. the energy of the system executing damped oscillation will
go on decreasing with time.
12. A wave motion is a form of disturbance which travels through a
medium on account of repeated periodic vibrations of the particles of
the medium about their mean position, the motion being handed on
from one particle to the adjoining particle.
A material medium is a must for propagation of waves. It should possess the
properties of inertia, elasticity and minimum friction. The 2 types of wave
motion are:
i)

Transverse wave motion that travels in the form of crests and

thoughts.
ii) Longitudinal wave motion that travels in the form of compressions
and rarefactions.
13. Speed of longitudinal waves in a long solid rod is v = y / p
where, y is youngs modulus of elasticity of the material of solid rod and p is
density of the material. The speed of longitudinal waves in a liquid is given
by v = B / p , where B is bulk modulus of elasticity of the liquid.