From VRML 2 Basic Concepts and Definitions CPS616 -- Information Track of CPS -- Spring Semester 98. byZeynep Ozdemir, Rob Baker, Meryem Ispirli, Geoffrey C. Fox(Spacial Sound w/ Touch Sensor, & Keyframe Animation)
Animation is the change of something as time progress such as change in position, scale, orientation, etc..
Any animation needs two elements:
A clock to control the playback of the animation
A description of how something changes during the course of the animation.