Period (T)
- Meaning: The time it takes for an object to complete one full cycle of oscillation (or repeating motion).
- Unit: Measured in seconds (s).
- Example: If a pendulum swings back and forth once in 2 seconds, its period is 2 seconds.
Frequency (f)
- Meaning: The number of cycles of oscillation (or repeating motions) that an object completes in one second.
- Unit: Measured in Hertz (Hz). (1 Hz = 1 cycle per second)
- Example: If a sound source vibrates 440 times per second, its frequency is 440 Hz.
Relationship
Period and Frequency are inversely proportional to each other. They are related by the following formulas:
- A shorter period means a higher frequency (faster oscillation).
- A higher frequency means a shorter period (slower oscillation).
| Feature | Period (T) | Frequency (f) |
| Meaning | Time for one cycle | Cycles per second |
| Unit | Seconds (s) | Hertz (Hz) |
| Relationship | T = 1/f | f = 1/T |
Analogy:
- Period: The time it takes you to swing back and forth on a swing once.
- Frequency: How many times you can swing back and forth on the swing in one minute.
“By the way, ocean waves travel through water, and sound travels through air. Water and air act as media for transmitting these waves. However, light can also travel in a vacuum and has kinetic energy like a wave. Why does this energy not run out?”
