Introduction
There are many forms of oscillations. A string on a guitar, a vibrating tuning fork, and a monkey swinging on a vine are examples.
Regardless of whether an oscillation is simple or complex, the motion can be described using a sine function or a combination of sine functions. Moreover, since sine functions are related to the components of position of a point moving in a circular path, there are close connections between circular motion and oscillations.
Objectives
In this activity, you will
- Explore these connections using a video of three oscillating systems: a pendulum, a mass on a spring, and a dot on a rotating disk.
Sensors and Equipment
This experiment features the following sensors and equipment. Additional equipment may be required.
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Purchase the Lab Book
This experiment is #18 of Physics with Video Analysis. The experiment in the book includes student instructions as well as instructor information for set up, helpful hints, and sample graphs and data.
