Question

Describe what a periodic phenomenon is,and what is Period and frequency.

Answer 1

• Periodic phenomenon: one that repeats itself at regular intervals.
• Every periodic phenomenon involves
  • One or more variables which characterize the repeating phenomenon (displacement, speed, light intensity, pitch, loudness, wakefulness, necktie width)
  • A period (T): the length of time required for one repetition of the process (one cycle); a frequency (f), the number of repetitions (cycles) per unit of time

    f = 1/t

• Examples of periodic phenomena in nature
  • Day/night cycle (rotation of earth)
  • Season (revolution of the earth)
  • Tides
  • Pendulums and other swinging movements
  • Ocean waves
  • Birth/marriage/death cycle
  • Menstrual cycle
  • Eating and sleeping cycle
  • Heartbeat and breathing
  • Locomotion (gaits)
  • Animal calls
  • Musical rhythm
  • ================================
  • Period refers to the time that it takes to do something. When an event occurs repeatedly, then we say that the event is periodic and refer to the time for the event to repeat itself as the period. The period of a wave is the time for a particle on a medium to make one complete vibrational cycle. Period, being a time, is measured in units of time such as seconds, hours, days or years.