Which type of motion most accurately describes the behavior of a friction -less pendulum?

A) Circular motion
B) Periodic Motion
C) One - dimensional Motion
D) Two - dimensional Motion

B) Periodic Motion

Explanation:

When a pendulum is friction-less, i.e there are no damping forces acting on it, its motion will be periodic, i.e it will bob up and down going from potential energy to kinetic energy and back. Thus, the motion of the pendulum can be best described by the term "period motion", hence choice B.

If however, forces do act on the pendulum, and if they acts as to damp the pendulum, it will oscillate less and less as time goes by, and eventually come to a stop (in the real world this damping force is usually air resistance ). And if the force acts in such a way that it increases the oscillations, the pendulum will swing higher and higher, and the system will go haywire! :)