What is Motion? – Its Examples & Types

Having an understanding of motion, we must deal with the two aspects of change in position. Distance and displacement are terms used to describe changes in position.

The difference between these two is that distance is the total path length covered during a move, which can be presented only by magnitude. Whilst, displacement is the shortest distance between the initial and final position.

In this situation, it requires both magnitude and direction for complete representation. A Good example of motion can be seen in our daily activities like opening and closing the door, running, walking, etc. In all these activities there is a change in the position of the objects.

Now, let’s go deep to explain what motion is, its examples, types, and laws!

Contents

What is Motion?

Motion can be defined as the change of position of an object with respect to time. It is mathematically described in terms of displacement, distance, velocity, acceleration, speed, and time. This is the same concept used in physics.

The universe is in continual motion because everything in it moves, also the fundamental particle of matter, which is the atom is in contact motion too. In one way or the other every physical process in the universe has exhibited some sort of motion, just that the motion is either slow or fast.

Just as earlier mentioned, distance and displacement are the best way to describe the change in position in motion. While distance between two path for instance path A and B can’t be definite becuase it depends on the path taken. However, displacement can always give a definite answer because it is a straight line joining two paths

This is to say, displacement is the shortest distance between two points and it has a particular direction unlike distance.

Examples of Motion

The following stated below are good examples of motion that will give you more clarification on motion in our daily life. They are;

Daily activities like opening and closing of the door, running, walking, etc. in all these activities there is a change in the position of the objects. The movement of automobiles that carries passengers from one place to another. It changes the position of passengers from one position to another, so motion is involved. The breathing in and out of the air in humans are also good examples of motion.  Below are some other good examples:

  • Walking – A person moving forward on foot.
  • Running – A faster form of walking, often used for exercise or speed.
  • Cycling – Riding a bicycle.
  • Swimming – Moving through water using limbs.
  • Jumping – Propelling oneself into the air and landing back down.
  • Driving – A car moving along the road.
  • Flying – An airplane traveling through the air.
  • Swinging – A pendulum moving back and forth.
  • Spinning – A top rotating rapidly on its axis.
  • Rolling – A ball moving down a hill.
  • Falling – An object dropping due to gravity.
  • Oscillating – A fan blade moving back and forth.
  • Bouncing – A basketball rebounding off the ground.
  • Orbiting – A satellite circling around a planet.
  • Rotating – The Earth spinning on its axis.
  • Creeping – A snail moving slowly along the ground.
  • Sailing – A boat gliding across water.
  • Dancing – A person moving rhythmically to music.
  • Flowing – Water moving downstream in a river.
  • Vibrating – A phone shaking when a call comes in.

 

examples of motion

What are the Laws of Motion?

The motion of a massive body is described in physics through two related sets of laws of mechanics.

·         Motion of large-scale objects in the universe, which include cars, planets, cells, humans, and projectiles. They are described by classical mechanics. Whereas,

·          Motion of very small atomic and sub-atomic objects is known as quantum mechanics. Newton and Euler have formulated three laws of classical mechanics.

First Law

In an inertial reference frame, an object either remains at rest or continues to move at a constant velocity, unless acted upon by a net force.

Second Law

If the resultant force F acting on a body or an object is not equal to zero, the body will have an acceleration a which is in the same direction as the resultant.

Third Law

When one body exerts a force on a second body, the second body simultaneously exerts a force equal in magnitude and opposite in direction on the first body.

Learn more about the three newton’s laws of motion here!

Watch the video below to learn more about motion:

Types of Motion

If you can consider the examples listed above, you might have noticed objects move differently. Some objects move straight path, some curved path, and some move in different directions. The following stated below are the types of motion, classified according to the nature of the movement. Motion is classified into three types such as:

  • Linear motion
  • Rotary motion
  • Oscillatory motion

1. Linear Motion

A linear motion is known by its direction of movement by either a straight line or a curve path. That is the path at which the object moves from one path to another. Good examples of linear are the motion of train, car, football, etc. Linear motion is further divided into two:

  • Rectilinear motion – the path of the motion is a straight line
  • Curvilinear motion – the path of the motion is curved

2. Rotatory Motion

A rotatory motion is a motion that takes place when a body rotates on its axis. Good examples of rotatory motion include:

  • The motion of a wheel while driving a car or the steering of the wheel about its axis.
  • The motion of the earth about its axis around the sun is also a good example of rotary motion

3. Oscillatory Motion

An oscillatory motion is the motion of a body about its mean position. Some examples of oscillatory motion include

  • The pendulum of a clock exhibits oscillatory motion as it moves to and fro about its mean position.
  • Pushing a child on a swing and its swing to and fro about its mean position.
  • Another good example is whether n string of the guitar is strummed and moves to and fro.

Types of Motion in Physics

The various types of motion in physics are translational, rotational, linear, periodic, simple harmonic, motion of the object, projectile, and oscillatory. 

  1. Translational motion is when an object moves along a path in any of the three dimensions.
  2. Rotational motion is when an object moves along a circular path about a fixed axis.
  3. Linear motion is a kind of translational motion where a body moves in a single direction along a single dimension.
  4. Periodic motion is when an object in motion repeats itself after certain intervals of time.
  5. Simple harmonic motion is when a restoring force acts in the direction opposite of the direction of motio of the object.
  6. Projectile is when the motion has a horizontal displacement and vertical displacement.
  7. Oscillatory motion is mechanically called vibration. It is repetitive in nature within a time frame.

Read more: How Force changes the State of Motion

That is all for this article, where I explained what motion is, its examples, types, and laws. I hope it was helpful, if so, kindly share with others. Thanks for reading, see you around!

Scroll to Top