What is Oscillating: Definition and 330 Discussions

Oscillation is the repetitive variation, typically in time, of some measure about a central value (often a point of equilibrium) or between two or more different states. The term vibration is precisely used to describe mechanical oscillation. Familiar examples of oscillation include a swinging pendulum and alternating current.
Oscillations occur not only in mechanical systems but also in dynamic systems in virtually every area of science: for example the beating of the human heart (for circulation), business cycles in economics, predator–prey population cycles in ecology, geothermal geysers in geology, vibration of strings in guitar and other string instruments, periodic firing of nerve cells in the brain, and the periodic swelling of Cepheid variable stars in astronomy.

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  1. P

    How Do You Determine the Period and Speed from a Sine Wave Graph in SHM?

    Hello Just wondering when there is a graph of distance vs time for an oscillating mass in SHM and the graph is a sine curve and it asks us for the period-do we just find the time it takes for one wave to be completed? say the x-axis is eg: 1 2 3 4 5 6 etc etc and the wave is completed between...
  2. E

    Question: A magnetic dipole m(t) is oscillating

    Hi; Can somebody solve this question below? (i found some answers but I'm not sure of them) TY for your interesting..
  3. F

    Belousov-Zhabotinsky oscillating reaction

    Here's a physics student trying to perform the Belousov experiment, that is the chemical clock that changes its color from red to blue and viceversa. I've been able to "borrow" the following reactants: H2S04(sulfuric acid) 1,5M NaBr03(sodium bromate) 0.08M CH2(COOH)2(malonic acid)...
  4. T

    Oscillating Reactions: Get Recipe & Learn How to Experiment

    Hey! Today I had a school visit to the UCL Chemistry department and was shown an Oscillating Reaction unfortunately I wasn't able to get the full 'recipe' to re-do the experiment so can someone be kind enough to write them down. Also! Would someone possibly direct me how to go on about...
  5. A

    What are the three types of energy involved in an oscillating spring problem?

    A massless spring hangs from the ceiling with a small object attached to its lower end. the object is initially held at rest in a position y such that the spring is at its rest length(not stretched). The object is then released from y and oscillates up and down, with its lowest position being 10...
  6. G01

    Oscillating Ball on a Spring: Analyzing Motion

    A .1 kg ball oscillates horizontally on a spring on a frictionless Table. k is 2.5 N/m. Its velocity is .2m/s when x= -.05 m What is : a. The Amplitude b. The Max Acceleration c. What is the balls position when a = a_{max} This one I know. Here x=the amplitude because a will be greatest...
  7. M

    Graphing a digit oscillating signal

    How would I go about graphing a digtal oscillating signal? I don't quite understand what a pulse width is, or rather how to find it given only the oscillation in Hz and a duty cycle. I understand that the duty cycle is the ratio of the pulse width over the total period, but i don't understand...
  8. M

    Graphing a digit oscillating signal

    How would I go about graphing a digtal oscillating signal? I don't quite understand what a pulse width is, or rather how to find it given only the oscillation in Hz and a duty cycle. I understand that the duty cycle is the ratio of the pulse width over the total period, but i don't understand...
  9. A

    Comparing Vibrating and Oscillating Energy of Tuning Forks

    is the vibrating energy of a tuning fork the same as the oscillating energy of a tuning fork?
  10. O

    Amplitude of an oscillating system graph

    Recently, there was a question i came across that asked: The graph shows how the amplitude of an oscillating system varies with its driving frequency. What will the resultant graph be if the system is placed in a fluid? My answer was that the peak would be smaller and shift to the right...
  11. B

    Child oscillating on playground swing

    Here is a homework problem that I believe is solved right. A child oscillates freely on a playground swing. It takes 2.5 seconds for the child to complete one full swing and return to the person that is pushing her. How long is the swing? This is how I solved for the answer. l =...
  12. DaTario

    Sinusoidally oscillating spring

    According to Hooke's law F = k \delta x , and the energy stored in a certain configuration is E = \frac{1}{2} k (\delta x)^2 But it just so happens that this last formula is only valid if one of the ends of this spring if fixed. I would like to know the following: What is the elastic...
  13. S

    Electron probability in oscillating hydrogen molecule

    In a hydrogen molecule, the electron probability is the highest between the two nuclei of the hydrogen molecule. Let's say that the nuclei of the hydrogen molecule start oscillating. When they get closer to each other, will the electron probability decrease or increase between the two nuclei?
  14. Q

    Finding Max and Min in Oscillating LRC Circuit

    In an oscillating LC circuit L = 3.00 mg and C = 2.70 * 10^-6. At t=0 the charge on the capacitor is zero and the current is 2.00 Am. What is the maximum charge that will appear on the capacitor? The earliest time where energy stored in the capacitor is the greatest? What is the greatest...
  15. E

    Current Through an Oscillating LC Circuit

    An oscillating LC circuit consisting of a 7.5 nF capacitor and a 4.4 mH coil has a maximum voltage of 2.0 V. What is the maximum current through the circuit? I got 1.5x10^-8 C for the max. charge.
  16. C

    Oscillating Molecule and Revolving Electron

    I found the problem of the ocsillating molecule interesting as well as the electron revolving around the nucleus, in both cases there is energy loss due to radiation and eventually the molecule will stop ocsilating and the electron will be together with the nucleos. the times when this happen...
  17. S

    Oscillating rectangular plate

    How do i find the period of small oscillations and length of the equivalent simple pendulum, for a rectangular plate (edges a and b) suspended at its corner and oscillating in vertical plane? T = 2pi (I/mgl)^1/2 i calculated l (length) to be (a^2 + b^2 )^1/2 ---(the diagonal) is this right...
  18. D

    Simple Pendulum: Oscillating Mass Explained

    simple pendulm If I suspend a baseball bat from one end and let it swing back and forth does it make a simple pendulm?
  19. G

    A quickly oscillating mass produces a gravitationnal wave

    Whether they have been detected or not (someone might want to update on this, LIGO etc.?), it seems undeniable that gravitationnal waves exist. It seems sufficient to wave my hand to create one. My question is the following : if an oscillating charge produces a linearly polarized E-wave...
  20. I

    Solving Oscillating Buoy Problem - ANU Physics/IPhO Q3

    Hello you guys. I'm trying to solve part B of the problem: http://www.anu.edu.au/Physics/IPhO/Q3.ps about a floating buoy. Is the resulting differential equation something like 4/3 (2*pi*a^2*l*d) z'' = - (2*asin(alpha)*l*rho*g) z Is this correct? Thanks very much!
  21. H

    Converrgence of oscillating sequence

    Convergence of oscillating sequence Hi, I have to prove that an oscillating sequence converges, I am having some difficulty with the proof. The sequence is c_{n+1} = \frac{1}{1+c_{n}} , c_{1} = 1 So, I've calculated the first few terms and have seen that the sequence oscillates. I know...
  22. K

    Dark energy and oscillating universe?

    If I take two spherical regions of space about one metre in radius, they would contain about 10 ^ - 27 kg of dark energy each. If I now say that the centres of these regions are one metre apart, and assume that there is rest mass associated with dark energy (this rest mass being uniformly...
  23. Z

    Can Oscillating Current Loops Produce Equal and Opposite Forces?

    Hiya, Materials: - Two current loops oscillating at ~ 9GHz Square Wave Orientation: - Stack the two loops one on top of the other at ~ 1cm seperation. What I See: - At that distance and frequency of oscillation it appears as if you could get a force with an equal reaction...
  24. K

    Oscillating universe and harmonic oscillator

    If the universe oscillates between a Big Bang and a Big crunch, can two particles at opposite ends of it, be considered to be undergoing simple harmonic oscillation? If the potential energy of the oscillator is given by G m1 m2 /r and m1 is the mass of the universe,10^52 kg,r = 10^26 metres...
  25. J

    Oscillating functions and beats : phase

    The project is located here if you want to read it: http://maxwell.physics.mun.ca/mpl/Physics1054/Projects/project2_F03/phaseP0.html I am not sure how I add the two function to get the resultant function ( especially for the beat function). I am supposed to use Phasor addition but in going...
  26. P

    Total ME of 2kg Oscillating on 50 N/m Spring

    What is the total mechanical energy of a mass of 2 kg oscillating on a spring given that the maximum velocity of the mass is 5 m/s and the spring constant is 50 N/m?
  27. G

    Oscillating Unvierse Theory and the 2nd law of Thermodynamics

    I have read two contraditory explanations of why the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics would prohibit an oscillating universe ad infinitum. The first one, from a Paul Davies Books states that the second law of thermodynamics only would permit the oscillations to become larger each time. While this...
  28. D

    Oscillating Rectangular Plate

    I think I'm lost in the ugly algebra, but I want to make sure. A uniform rectangular plate is suspended at point P (top center of the rectangle), and swings in the plane of the paper about an axis through P. At what other point between P and O (center of the rectangle), along PO, could the...
  29. wolram

    How does this oscillating electromagnetic field keep its information?

    hi, electromagnetic radiation is a combination of oscillating electric and magnetic fields...if a transmiter sends a cmplex elctro magnetic signal into space and then shuts down, there is no longer a source of information to the signal, how does this oscillating electromagnetic field keep its...
  30. Hydr0matic

    Oscillating Charge: Radiation Emitted - Wisdom Shared

    What do we know about the radiation emitted by an oscillating charge ? Anyone care to share their wisdom ?
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