Reading Harmonic Motion Graphs

Notice that the graph has parts that happen over and over again.

The part of harmonic motion that repeats itself is called a:
1. cycle
2. period
3. frequency
4. wavelength
5. velocity
6. amplitude
7. hertz
A cycle is one time harmonic motion repeats itself.

How many times does the graph go down and back up?
1. 1
2. 2
3. 3
4. 4
5. 5
6. 6
Starting at letter A, the graph goes down and back up 3 times (and starts to go down again)?

So, how many complete cycles does the graph show?
1. 1
2. 2
3. 3
4. 4
5. 5
6. 6
The graph shows 3 complete cycles.

If you start at D when will one cycle end?
1. E
2. F
3. G
4. H
5. I
6. J
The graph shows 3 complete cycles.

The graph has parts that go up and parts that go down. What do we call the parts that go up (shown at letters A, E, I, and M)?
1. hills
2. positive motion
3. crests
4. bumps
5. lifts
The graph shows 3 complete cycles.
The parts that go up are called crests.

What do we call the parts that go down (shown at letters C, G, and K)?
1. valleys
2. pits
3. negative motion
4. troughs
5. low points
The graph shows 3 complete cycles.
The high parts are called crests.
The low parts are called troughs.

The distance from one crest to the very next crest (from A to E) is called what?
1. cycle
2. wavelength
3. period
4. frequency
5. velocity
The graph shows 3 complete cycles.
The high parts are called crests.
The low parts are called troughs.
Distance of 1 cycle (crest to crest or trough to trought, etc) is called its wavelength.

One wavelength from B would end at?
1. C
2. D
3. E
4. F
5. G
6. H
The graph shows 3 complete cycles.
The high parts are called crests.
The low parts are called troughs.
Distance of 1 cycle (crest to crest or trough to trought, etc) is called its wavelength.

How far away from its equilibrium position it moves (how tall it is) is know as what?
1. cycle
2. period
3. frequency
4. wavelength
5. velocity
6. amplitude
7. hertz
The graph shows 3 complete cycles.
The high parts are called crests.
The low parts are called troughs.
Distance of 1 cycle (crest to crest or trough to trought, etc) is called wavelength.
How far away from its equilibrium position it moves (how tall it is) is called amplitude.

What is the amplitude of this wave? (No units or decimals, please.)
1. 1
2. 2
3. 5
4. 10
5. 20
6. -20
7. 4-

Reading Harmonic Motion Graphs

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