Frequency and period are reciprocal descriptions of a repeating cycle.
Difficulty
Beginner
Read time
5 min
Prerequisites
Basic algebra, consistent units, and the stated model assumptions
Source
OpenStax, College Physics 2e, §16.2 (Paul Peter Urone and Roger Hinrichs)OpenFormulaGraph equation reference; FormuLab adaptation details and license are provided below.
Adapted from OpenFormulaGraph, under CC BY 4.0.
FormuLab adapted wording, notation, applicability conditions and topic placement, and expanded the numerical check into a worked example.
Frequency and period are reciprocal descriptions of a repeating cycle. A shorter cycle time means more cycles per second.
| Symbol | Meaning | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency | ||
| Period |
Convert cycle time into cycles per second.
Compare period and frequency descriptions.
A repeating motion has period 0.5 s. Find its frequency.
OpenFormulaGraph equation reference; FormuLab adaptation details and license are provided below.
Adapted from OpenFormulaGraph, under CC BY 4.0.
FormuLab adapted wording, notation, applicability conditions and topic placement, and expanded the numerical check into a worked example.
Assumptions
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