A lot of physics sometimes remains incomprehensible. And it's not always that a person just read a little on this topic. Sometimes the material is given in such a way that it is simply impossible for a person who is not familiar with the basics of physics to understand it. One rather interesting section that people do not always understand the first time and are able to comprehend is periodic oscillations. Before explaining the theory of periodic oscillations, let's talk a little about the history of the discovery of this phenomenon.
History
Theoretical foundations of periodic oscillations were known in the ancient world. People saw how the waves move evenly, how the wheels rotate, passing through the same point after a certain period of time. It is from these seemingly simple phenomena that the concept of oscillations originated.
The first evidence of the description of oscillations has not been preserved, but it is known for certain that one of their most common types (namely, electromagnetic) was theoretically predicted by Maxwell in 1862. After 20 years, his theory was confirmed. Then Heinrich Hertz conducted a series of experiments proving the existence of electromagnetic waves and the presence of certain properties that are unique to them. As it turns out, the lightis an electromagnetic wave and obeys all relevant laws. A few years before Hertz, there was a man who demonstrated to the scientific community the generation of electromagnetic waves, but due to the fact that he was not strong in theory as well as Hertz, he could not prove that the success of the experiment was due precisely to oscillations.
We're a little off topic. In the next section, we will look at the main examples of periodic oscillations that we can meet in everyday life and in nature.
Views
These phenomena occur everywhere and all the time. And besides the waves and rotation of the wheels already cited as an example, we can notice periodic fluctuations in our body: contractions of the heart, movement of the lungs, and so on. If you zoom in and move on to objects larger than our organs, you can see fluctuations in science such as biology.
An example is the periodic fluctuations in the number of populations. What is the meaning of this phenomenon? In any population, there is always an increase, then a decrease. And this is due to various factors. Due to the limited space and many other factors, the population cannot grow indefinitely, therefore, with the help of natural mechanisms, nature has learned to reduce the number. At the same time, periodic fluctuations in numbers occur. The same is happening with human society.
Now let's discuss the theory of this concept and analyze some formulas regarding such a concept as periodic oscillations.
Theory
Periodic fluctuations are a very interesting topic. But, as in any other, the further you dive - the more incomprehensible, new and complex. In this article, we will not go deep, but only briefly describe the main properties of oscillations.
The main characteristics of periodic oscillations are the period and frequency of oscillations. The period shows how long it takes the wave to return to its original position. In fact, this is the time it takes a wave to travel the distance between its adjacent crests. There is another value that is closely related to the previous one. This is the frequency. The frequency is the inverse of the period and has the following physical meaning: it is the number of wave crests that have passed through a certain area of space per unit of time. The frequency of periodic oscillations, if presented in mathematical form, has the formula: v=1/T, where T is the oscillation period.
Before jumping to the conclusion, let's talk a little about where periodic fluctuations are observed and how knowing about them can be useful in life.
Application
We have already considered the types of periodic oscillations above. Even if you are guided by the list of where they meet, it is easy to understand that they surround us everywhere. Electromagnetic waves are emitted by all our electrical appliances. Moreover, phone-to-phone communication or radio listening would not be possible without them.
Sound waves are also vibrations. Under the influence of electrical voltage, a special membrane in any sound generatorbegins to vibrate, creating waves of a certain frequency. Following the membrane, air molecules begin to vibrate, which eventually reach our ear and are perceived as sound.
Conclusion
Physics is a very interesting science. And even if it seems that you kind of know everything in it that can be useful in everyday life, there is still such a thing that it would be useful to understand better. We hope that this article has helped you understand or remember the material on the physics of vibrations. This is indeed a very important topic, the practical application of the theory from which is found everywhere today.
