Vibration facts for kids
Vibration is when something moves quickly back and forth, or up and down, around a central spot. Think of a guitar string when you pluck it! This movement can happen in a regular pattern, which is called periodic, or it can be completely random.
When something vibrates in a regular way, it can create sound. For example, a vibrating drum skin makes the air around it vibrate too. These air vibrations travel as waves to your ear, and your brain understands them as sound.
Sometimes, vibrations can be a problem. In structural engineering, which is about designing buildings and bridges, strong vibrations (like those from an earthquake) can damage structures.
The time it takes for a vibrating object to complete one full back-and-forth movement is called its period. The number of these movements in one second is called its frequency, and it's measured in Hertz (Hz). The biggest distance an object moves from its central spot is called its amplitude.
Types of Vibration
There are different ways objects can vibrate. Let's look at two main types:
Free Vibration
Free vibration happens when you give something a push and then let it vibrate on its own. Imagine pulling a child back on a swing and then letting go. The swing will keep moving back and forth by itself, slowly slowing down. Another example is hitting a tuning fork; it will ring and then gradually stop.
When something vibrates freely, it moves at its own special speed, called its 'natural frequency'. It will slowly lose energy and stop vibrating.
Forced Vibration
Forced vibration occurs when a continuous push or pull makes something vibrate. This force keeps the vibration going. Here are some examples:
- A washing machine shaking because the clothes inside are uneven.
- The shaking you feel in a car or bus, caused by the engine, springs, and the road.
- A building shaking during an earthquake.
In forced vibration, the object vibrates at the same speed as the force that is pushing it. How much it shakes depends on the object itself.
Related Topics
Images for kids
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One of the possible ways a circular drum can vibrate.
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Free vibration showing how it slows down over time.
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How an object responds to a continuous pushing force.
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How a square wave can be made from many sine waves.
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A model showing how an object responds to different frequencies.
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A simple model of two connected vibrating parts.
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Car Suspension: designed to control vibrations for a smoother ride.
See also
In Spanish: Vibración para niños
