For the next two weeks we will be studying linear oscillations (mass on a spring) and non-linear oscillations (pendulum). We often use a variety of different ways to analyze the motion of such oscillators and we like to compare complicated cases to more simple cases.
Under what condition (qualitative not a #) would a pendulum's motion be simple harmonic motion?
When motion is simple harmonic, what does that mean? What are the requirements and what are the consequences for the motion?