At the undergraduate level, the composite motion of simple harmonic vibrations has always been the main content of physics as well as several other scientific disciplines. Many textbooks tell us clearly that when the frequency ratio ω1/ω2 of two perpendicular vibrations is simple integer ratio n1/n2 (n1 and n2 are integers), their combined motion has stable and closed trajectories. This trajectory graph is the famous Lissajous figure. The Lissajous figure has been widely studied since it was discovered more than 100 years ago. Especially in the last 30 years, the shape, evolution trend, periodicity, and symmetry of the Lissajous figure have been studied and a series of meaningful characteristics and laws have been summarized. However there has been no analysis of the Lissajous figure from the perspective of three-dimensional space curve so far.

1.
M.
Alonso
and
E. J.
Finn
,
Physics
(
Addison-Wesley
,
Reading, MA
,
1970
), p.
162
.
2.
F. W.
Sears
and
M. W.
Zemansky
,
University Physics
, 4th ed. (
Addison-Wesley
,
Reading, MA
,
1970
), p.
168
.
3.
M. S.
Wu
and
W. H.
Tsai
, “
Corrections for Lissajous figures in books
,”
Am. J. Phys.
52
,
657
(July
1984
).
4.
W.
Herreman
, “
Comment on ‘Corrections for Lissajous figures in books,’
Am. J. Phys.
53
,
11
(Jan.
1985
).
5.
P.
Jasselette
and
J.
Vandermeulen
, “
More on Lissajous figures
,”
Am. J. Phys.
54
,
182
(Feb.
1986
).
6.
E. Y. C.
Tong
, “
Lissajous figures
,”
Phys. Teach.
35
,
491
(Nov.
1997
).
7.
T. B.
Greenslade
, “
All about Lissajous figures
,”
Phys. Teach.
31
,
364
(Jan.
1993
).
8.
J.
Quereda
,
M.
Ramón
, and
B.
Silva
, “
Calibrating the frequency of tuning forks by means of Lissajous figures
,”
Am. J. Phys.
79
,
517
(May
2011
).
9.
M. J.
Ruiz
, “
Lissajous figures, musical intervals, and the just diatonic scale
,”
Phys. Teach.
56
,
424
(Sept.
2018
).
10.
J. A.
Daffron
and
T. B.
Greenslade
, “
A reproduction Lissajous figure machine
,”
Phys. Teach.
56
,
428
429
(Sept.
2018
).
AAPT members receive access to The Physics Teacher and the American Journal of Physics as a member benefit. To learn more about this member benefit and becoming an AAPT member, visit the Joining AAPT page.