Define amplitude, frequency, and time period of vibration

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Detailed Solution

Amplitude is maximum displacement, frequency is vibrations per second, and time period is the time for one complete vibration.

For a vibrating body or a wave, amplitude tells how far it moves from the middle position, frequency tells how many full back-and-forth cycles happen each second, and time period tells how long one cycle takes.

Formal definitions and units

Quantity	Symbol	Definition	SI unit	Relation
Amplitude	A	Maximum displacement from mean position	metre (m)	—
Frequency	f or ν	Number of complete vibrations per second	hertz (Hz)	f = 1/T
Time period	T	Time for one complete vibration	second (s)	T = 1/f

Example

If a tuning fork makes 440 vibrations in one second, its frequency is 440 Hz and its time period is 1/440 s. If the tip swings 2 mm to either side, the amplitude is 2 mm. For simple harmonic motion, x(t) = A sin(2πft + φ), where A is amplitude, f is frequency, and T = 1/f.

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