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Unleashing the Fascinating Power of Oscillatory Motion in Physics

Oscillatory motion forms one of the most important and concept-heavy chapters in classical physics. From the conservation of energy in oscillations to the changing time period of a pendulum in lifts, elevators, mines, and satellites, this topic consistently appears in competitive exams like NEET, JEE, CUET, and state board tests. The oscillatory motion MCQs based on oscillatory motion often test a aspirant’s clarity of fundamentals rather than lengthy calculations.

A recurring theme in oscillatory motion MCQs is energy conservation. Whether it is a particle executing simple harmonic motion or a simple pendulum swinging through small angles, the total mechanical energy remains constant in the absence of damping. Many oscillatory motion questions directly check whether aspirants understand that energy depends on the square of amplitude and not on displacement at a given instant.

Another crucial oscillatory motion concept tested repeatedly is the time period of a simple pendulum. Oscillatory Motion MCQs explore how the period changes with length, gravitational acceleration, motion of the support, and surrounding conditions such as vacuum, lift motion, or motion on the Moon. These oscillatory motion questions demand conceptual understanding rather than memorization.

The provided MCQs also emphasize real-world applications—pendulum clocks running fast or slow, resonance in forced vibrations, and the effect of damping.

Table of Contents

35 MCQs on Oscillatory Motion-

1. The physical quantity conserved in simple harmonic motion is

A. Time period
B. Total energy
C. Displacement
D. Force
 Answer: B

2. The total energy of a simple harmonic oscillator is proportional to

A. Square root of displacement
B. Velocity
C. Frequency
D. Square of the amplitude
 Answer: D

3. Two oscillators start in the same phase. After 50 oscillations of one, they differ by π. The percentage difference in frequencies is nearest to

A. 2%
B. 1%
C. 0.50%
D. 0.25%
 Answer: B

4. Total energy of a particle executing SHM is proportional to

A. Square of amplitude of motion
B. Frequency of oscillation
C. Velocity at equilibrium position
D. Displacement from equilibrium
 Answer: A

5. A simple pendulum hangs vertically at rest because its

A. Kinetic energy is zero
B. Kinetic energy is minimum
C. Potential energy is minimum
D. Potential energy is zero
 Answer: C

6. Total energy of a particle performing SHM is NOT proportional to

A. Its mass
B. Square of amplitude
C. Displacement from mean position
D. Square of frequency
 Answer: C

7. Time period of a pendulum is 3 s. If its length is increased four times, the increase in time period is

A. 3 s
B. 4 s
C. 5 s
D. 6 s
 Answer: D

8. Degrees of freedom of an oscillating simple pendulum is

A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. More than three
 Answer: A

9. A water-filled hollow pendulum bob leaks slowly. The time period

A. Remains unchanged
B. Increases continuously
C. First increases then decreases
D. First decreases then increases
 Answer: C

10. Correct matching for an oscillating spring-block system is

A. (a–iii), (b–ii), (c–i), (d–iv)
B. (a–iv), (b–i), (c–iii), (d–ii)
C. (a–ii), (b–iii), (c–iv), (d–i)
D. (a–iv), (b–iii), (c–ii), (d–i)
 Answer: D

11. A pendulum oscillating in an evacuated chamber will have

A. Constant amplitude
B. Decreasing amplitude
C. Increasing amplitude
D. Unpredictable amplitude
 Answer: A

12. A pendulum finally stops due to

A. Air friction
B. Earth’s gravity
C. Centre of gravity
D. Tension
 Answer: A

13. In a conical pendulum, centrifugal force is balanced by

A. T cosθ
B. T sinθ
C. T tanθ
D. None
 Answer: C

14. Pendulum in a cart moving down an incline has a period that

A. Increases
B. Decreases
C. Remains unchanged
D. Becomes infinite
 Answer: A

15. Period of a pendulum taken from equator to poles

A. Increases
B. Decreases
C. Remains same
D. Becomes zero
 Answer: B

16. Pendulum string tilts backward in a train. The train is

A. At rest
B. Accelerated
C. Moving uniformly
D. Retarded
 Answer: B

17. Pendulum in a lift accelerating upward with acceleration g has period

A. Same
B. Double
C. Half
D. Zero
 Answer: D

18. Four pendulums on the same support; resonance causes maximum amplitude in

A. D
B. C
C. B
D. All equally
 Answer: B

19. A fast pendulum clock is corrected by

A. Reducing bob mass
B. Reducing amplitude
C. Reducing length
D. Increasing length
 Answer: D

20. Time period of a pendulum in a freely falling lift is

A. Zero
B. Infinity
C. Greater than zero
D. Less than zero
 Answer: B

21. Pendulum in a uniformly accelerating upward lift will have

A. Same period
B. Shorter period
C. Longer period
D. Zero period
 Answer: C

22. Gravity acting on a pendulum bob provides

A. Applied force
B. Frictional force
C. Restoring force
D. Virtual force
 Answer: C

23. Which statement about time period T is NOT correct?

A. Motion repeats after T only once
B. T is the least repeating time
C. Motion repeats after nT
D. T is constant for small angles
 Answer: A

24. Time period of a pendulum in an artificial satellite is

A. Zero
B. 2 s
C. 3 s
D. Infinite
 Answer: D

25. Two simple pendulums of lengths in the ratio 4 : 1 start oscillating at the same time. They will again be in phase after the shorter pendulum completes

A. 2 oscillations
B. 1.5 oscillations
C. 2.5 oscillations
D. 1 oscillation
 Answer: A

26. When a simple pendulum is taken from the Earth’s surface to a deep mine, its period of oscillation

A. Remains the same
B. Decreases
C. Increases
D. Becomes zero
 Answer: C

27. A bar pendulum suspended at its centre of gravity does not oscillate because

A. Its time period is zero
B. Its time period is infinite
C. Its mass is zero
D. Its moment of inertia is zero
 Answer: B

28. The time period of a simple pendulum will be doubled if we

A. Increase the length two times
B. Decrease the length four times
C. Decrease the length two times
D. Increase the length four times
 Answer: D

29. A simple pendulum oscillates with an amplitude of 50 mm and time period 2 s. Its maximum velocity is

A. 0.10 m s⁻¹
B. 0.15 m s⁻¹
C. 0.8 m s⁻¹
D. 0.26 m s⁻¹
 Answer: B

30. In forced vibrations, the resonance curve becomes very sharp when

A. Restoring force is small
B. Applied periodic force is small
C. Quality factor is small
D. Damping force is small
 Answer: D

31. A simple pendulum and a vertical spring–mass system have equal time periods on Earth. On the Moon,

A. Pendulum’s time period is greater
B. Both have equal time periods
C. Pendulum’s time period is smaller
D. Cannot be predicted
 Answer: A

32. The graph between time period and length of a simple pendulum is

A. Straight line
B. Curve
C. Ellipse
D. Parabola
 Answer: D

33. If the steel bob of a simple pendulum is replaced by a wooden bob, its time period

A. Increases
B. Decreases
C. Remains the same
D. First increases then decreases
 Answer: C

34. When the bob of a simple pendulum swings, the work done by tension in the string is

A. Greater than zero
B. Less than zero
C. Zero
D. Maximum
 Answer: C

35. A pendulum oscillating in an elevator will have the greatest time period when the elevator is

A. Moving upward with constant speed
B. Moving downward
C. Moving downward with constant speed
D. Accelerating downward
 Answer: D

oscillatory motion

Conclusion on Oscillatory Motion

Oscillatory motion is not just about formulas—it is about understanding how energy flows, how time period behaves, and how physical systems respond to their environment. The oscillatory motion MCQs provided cover the most exam-relevant subtopics, including simple pendulums, SHM energy relations, resonance, damping, and motion in accelerating frames.

By practicing these oscillatory motion MCQs, aspirants develop a strong conceptual base that helps them eliminate wrong options quickly and answer confidently under time pressure. Whether an aspirants is  preparing for NEET, JEE, or board examinations, mastering these oscillatory motion  questions will significantly improve their physics score.

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