6 - Oscillations Flashcards
displacement (oscillations)
Instantaneous distance of the moving object from its mean position
Amplitude
Maximum displacement from the mean position
Period (oscillations)
The time taken to complete one oscillation
Frequency (oscillations)
the number of complete oscillations per unit time - unit Hertz (Hz).
Angular frequency
Rate of change of angular displacement
Phase difference
Measure of how much one wave is out of phase with another wave
simple harmonic motion
Motion of an oscillator in which its acceleration is directly proportional to its displacement from its equilibrium position and is directed toward that point
Damping
Loss of energy and reduction of amplitude from an oscillating system caused by a force acting in opposite direction to the motion (friction)
Light damping
System oscillated about equilibrium with decreasing amplitude over a period of time
Critical damping
system does not oscillate & the amount of damping is such that the system returns to its equilibrium position and is directed toward that point.
Heavy damping
damping is so great that the displaced object never oscillates but returns to its equilibrium position very slowly
natural frequency
The unforced frequency of oscillation of a freely oscillating object
Free oscillation
Oscillatory motion not subject to an external driving force - oscillates at natural frequency
Forced oscillation
Oscillation caused by external driving force - frequency determined by driving force.
