Graphing Circular Motion Concepts

Graphing Circular Motion

• The trajectory graph for uniform circular motion is a circle.
• However, the graphs of position vs. time for the horizontal and vertical motions appear to oscillate.
• An oscillatory motion is any motion in which an object repeats the same movement over and over.
• Oscillatory motion can be described mathematically using either a sine wave or a cosine wave.
• These are trigonometric curves that describe smooth periodic oscillation.
• When a sine wave is at its maximum, the corresponding cosine wave is at its zero, and vice versa.
• The equations for oscillatory motion are: x = R cos(ωt/R) and y = R sin(ωt/R)

Explore the principles of graphing uniform circular motion, focusing on the relationship between position and time in oscillatory motion. This quiz covers the mathematical description of oscillations using sine and cosine waves, illustrating their periodic nature through graphs and equations.