- Translational motion is motion that occurs along a set path. This generally describes a linear motion, but its basic principle is that it moves from one location to another. Translational periodic motion will move along a set path back and forth. For instance, a pendulum is an example of translational periodic motion. Another example would very simply be a car moving down a road, and then returning.
- Rotational motion occurs when an object spins around an axis at uniform intervals. All of the planets' orbits engage in rotational periodic motion around the Sun, and each planet moves rotationally around its own axis. In order for a motion to be rotationally periodic, it must rotate in continuous intervals of time.
- Oscillatory motion, also known as vibrational motion, is the movement of an object between two points continuously. This motion fluctuates, but also begins at one set point and ends at another. For instance, when you pluck a string on a guitar it will vibrate in place and create soundwaves. How much the string vibrates determines the pitch of the sound that comes out. This is because the string is vibrating along a set path.
- Deformation is motion that is caused by bending, twisting or stretching objects. Examples of this include springs and internal elastic forces. Deformation may ultimately follow another kind of motion, such as oscillatory or translational, but its origin is what is important. For instance, when a spring moves from a down position to an up position, it moves translationally. However, the moving of the spring is caused by the deformation (the bending) of the spring's metal and therefore is deformational motion.
Translational
Rotational
Oscillatory
Deformation
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