Terms
- 
Oscillating system
Any system that always experiences a force acting against the displacement of 
the system (restoring force).
 
- 
Restoring force
A force that always acts against the displacement of the system.
 
- 
Periodic Motion
Any motion in which a system returns to its initial position at a later time.
 
- 
Amplitude
The maximum displacement of an oscillating system.
 
- 
Period
The time it takes for a system to complete one oscillation.
 
- 
Frequency
The rate at which a system completes an oscillation.
 
- 
Hertz
The unit of measurement of frequency.
 
- 
Angular Frequency
The radian measure of frequency: frequency times 2Π.
 
- 
Simple Harmonic Motion
Any motion that experiences a restoring force proportional to the 
displacement of the system.
 
Formulae
 
| 
Relation between variables of oscillation 
 | σ = 2Πν =   | 
 
| 
Force exerted by a spring with constant k | F = - kx | 
 
|  
Differential equation describing simple harmonic motion 
 |   +  x = 0 | 
 
| 
Formula for the period of a mass-spring system 
 | T = 2Π  | 
 
| 
Formula for the frequency of a mass-spring system 
 | ν =    | 
 
| 
Formula for the angular frequency of a mass-spring system 
 | σ =   | 
 
| 
Equation for the displacement in simple harmonic motion 
 | x = xmcos(σt) | 
 
| 
Equation for the velocity in simple harmonic motion 
 | v = σxmsin(σt) | 
 
| 
Equation for the acceleration in simple harmonic motion 
 | a = σ2xmcos(σt) | 
 
| 
Equation for the potential 
energy of a simple 
harmonic system
 | U =  kx2 |