http://www.ck12.org Chapter 11. Simple Harmonic Motion Version 2
11.1 The Big Idea
The development of devices to measure time, like the pendulum, led to the analysis ofperiodic motion. Such motion
repeats itself in equal intervals of time (called periods) and is also referred to asharmonic motion.When an object
moves back and forth over thesame pathin harmonic motion it is said to beoscillating. If the distance such an
object travels in one oscillation remains constant, it is calledsimpleharmonic motion (SHM). A grandfather clock’s
pendulum and the quartz crystal in a modern watch are examples of SHM.