simple harmonic motion
- noun
- /ˈsɪmpəl hɑːrˈmɒnɪk ˈmoʊʃən/
- Specialized
- When studying waves, we often use simple harmonic motion to model how particles oscillate around an equilibrium point.
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Watch on YouTubeThey are still like simple harmonic motion on their own.
- They are still like simple harmonic motion on their own.
- OK, that is today's lesson on simple harmonic motion.
Examples
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Next time we will be considering problems to do with simple harmonic motion, but which includes friction damping.
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The pendulum swings back and forth in simple harmonic motion as the restoring force acts to try to return it to its equilibrium position.
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In physics classes, students learn that simple harmonic motion occurs when the force restoring the object to its equilibrium position is proportional to its displacement.
Synonyms
1
6.3
A movement that goes back and forth around a middle point, like a pendulum
How Regular
- Specialized
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally built from 'simple' + 'harmonic' + 'motion', so a learner who knows the words can infer a general idea of an uncomplicated oscillatory movement. However, the precise technical sense (periodicity and a restoring force proportional to displacement) is domain-specific and not fully predictable from the parts alone, so full understanding requires physics knowledge.
Etymology
The term simple harmonic motion comes from the image of a single weight moving back and forth like a spring or a small swing in a steady rhythm. Here simple means 'one clear back-and-forth', harmonic is like 'a steady musical beat', and motion means 'movement', so the name shows it is a regular, repeating movement.