Re: Periodic motion vs. oscillation

[Caryn <cy1229@SBCGLOBAL.NET>]

I think you have it right... oscillations are periodic motions, but not all
periodic motions are oscillations.  Then again, if we were to graph a
periodic motion, it would be an oscillation... but I don't want to confuse
the issue. :-)

Caryn Sugden
Greenwood High School
Greenwood, IN

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Forum for Physics Educators [mailto:PHYS-L@list1.ucc.nau.edu]On
> Behalf Of Robert Cohen
> Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2004 8:48 AM
> To: PHYS-L@LISTS.NAU.EDU
> Subject: Periodic motion vs. oscillation
>
>
> What, if any, is the difference between periodic motion and
> oscillations?
>
> For example, the motion of the earth around the sun is an example of
> periodic motion.  But is it an example of an oscillation?
>
> I thought that an oscillation is when something is forced back to some
> equilibrium position (like a vibration).  Periodic motion, on the other
> hand, is something that repeats itself (i.e., is cyclic).  Perhaps an
> oscillation is an example of periodic motion but not all periodic
> motions are oscillations?
>
> ____________________________________________________
> Robert Cohen; 570-422-3428; www.esu.edu/~bbq
> East Stroudsburg University; E. Stroudsburg, PA 18301