Does the period or frequency represent an orbit?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion clarifies that period and frequency are interrelated concepts in periodic functions, with neither representing an orbit. Both terms are essential for describing an orbiting object, such as a planet, where the period indicates the time for one complete orbit and frequency denotes the number of orbits in a given time frame. The relationship between them is reciprocal, meaning knowing one allows for the calculation of the other. Typically, the period is preferred for expressing planetary orbits due to its simplicity in common units. Understanding both terms is crucial for accurately describing orbital mechanics.
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does the period or frequency represent an orbit?
 
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The question simply doesn't make sense. Any periodic function has both period and frequency- given one, you can calculate the other.
Neither "represents" an orbit.

If you do have something, such as a planet, orbiting, then you must have both a period (the number of days, seconds, etc. required to complete one full orbit) and a frequency (the number of orbits per day, second, etc.) and one is just the reciprocal of the other. If you are thinking of one as "representing" the orbit, the other could as well.

To answer the question you DIDN'T ask but probably intended, it is more common to give the period of an orbit of a planet about the sun rather than the frequency just because it is a simpler number in the most common units.
 
1/T = Frequency

1/f = Period.


where T = period.

Knowing either one will get you the answer for the other.
 

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