Question #7d6fa

1 Answer
Aug 27, 2017

No, actually we can consider it as a periodic motion and not simple harmonic or oscillatory motion.

Explanation:

There is a slight difference between harmonic motion and periodic motion.

Actually every undamped harmonic motion is periodic but every periodic motion is not harmonic.

In both periodic and harmonic motions a body arrives at it's original position with same energy and momentum provided oscillations are undamped.
But the difference between both lies in the fact that in harmonic motion the body moves to and fro i.e. goes till its amplitude and retraces back its path. An example of simple harmonic motion is the motion of a particle attached to a spring.
But an example of periodic motion is the motion of Earth around the Sun. Earth revolves again and again around the sun but does not turn backwards it always moves in one direction hence its motion is periodic and non oscillatory or non harmonic.

All undamped oscillations are periodic but all periodic motions are not oscillatory.