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What are the different types of motion?

Class 6 ScienceNCERT chapter: Measurement of Length and Motionइसे हिंदी में पढ़ें

Exam-ready answer

The three main types of motion are linear, circular and oscillatory. In linear motion, an object moves along a straight line, like a car on a straight road. In circular motion, it moves along a circular path, like the tip of a clock's hand. In oscillatory motion, it moves to and fro about a fixed position, like a swing.

Explanation

An object is in motion when its position changes with time compared with a fixed object around it, called a reference point. A tree beside the road stays at the same place, while a moving bus keeps changing its position relative to the tree. Motion can be grouped by the kind of path the object follows.

When an object moves along a straight line, its motion is linear, also called rectilinear, motion. Examples are a train on a straight track, an apple falling from a tree and a soldier marching. When an object moves along a circular path, its motion is circular motion, as with a stone whirled on a string, the tip of a ceiling fan's blade or a child on a merry-go-round.

When an object moves to and fro about a fixed central position, its motion is oscillatory motion. A swing, the pendulum of a clock and a plucked guitar string are examples. Circular and oscillatory motions repeat after equal intervals of time, so they are also called periodic motion. An object can show more than one type at once: a bicycle moves forward in a straight line while its wheels turn in circles.

Points to remember

  1. Motion: change in the position of an object with time with respect to a reference point.
  2. Linear (rectilinear) motion: motion along a straight line, e.g. a falling apple.
  3. Circular motion: motion along a circular path, e.g. the tip of a clock's hand.
  4. Oscillatory motion: to-and-fro motion about a fixed position, e.g. a swing or pendulum.
  5. Motion that repeats after equal time intervals is called periodic motion.

Exam tip

Define each type in one line and give two everyday examples for each. A small sketch with an arrow showing the path, a straight line, a circle or a to-and-fro arc, makes the answer stand out.

Questions students also ask

What kind of motion does a moving bicycle show?
A bicycle on a straight road shows linear motion as a whole, while its wheels and pedals turn in circles about their axles, showing circular motion. So one object can show more than one type of motion at the same time.
Is every circular motion also periodic?
Circular motion is periodic when the object goes round in equal times, like the hands of a clock or the blade of a fan at steady speed. If the speed keeps changing irregularly, the motion is still circular but does not repeat in equal intervals.
How is oscillatory motion different from circular motion?
In circular motion the object goes all the way round a circular path, like a merry-go-round. In oscillatory motion the object only moves back and forth about a fixed middle position, like a swing or a pendulum, without completing a circle.

Chapter labels help you find the topic in your textbook. Check your own edition: chapter names and order can change. These are Know.it explanations, not official NCERT solutions.