Definition: Summary:
• body of mass m attached to spring with spring The equation of motion is
constant k is released from position x0 (measured
from equilibrium position) with velocity v0; d 2 x(t) dx(t)
2 + 2β + ω20 x(t) = 0
• resistance due to friction F res = − bv , b = non- dt dt ,
negative constant (possibly zero) where
x(t)
b k
• β= and ω0 = .
2m m
There are three distinct kinds of motion:
Prerequisites: • β<ω0 : underdamped
• fundamentals of Newtonian mechanics • β=ω0 : critically damped
• t h e simple harmonic oscillator without resis- • β>ω0 : overdamped
tance Go to derivation.
β≡
b
. 2) β=ω0 (“critically damped”)
2m In this case, there is only one value of α:
There will be three cases, depending on the size α = –ω0 .
of β (the amount of damping).
1) β<ω0 (“underdamped”) The solution is the limit of the underdamped case
as ω1 goes to zero:
This is the case of small damping. The
argument of the square root in α is negative, so α x(t) = exp á –βt é á x 0 + á βx 0 + v 0 é t é
can have either of the two complex values
α = –β ± i ω20 – β2 , The linear dependence on t is characteristic of the
case in which the two possible values of α are
where i2 =–1. (If you are weak on complex equal.
numbers, now would be the time to review.) As a
shorthand, we will write 3) β>ω0 (“overdamped”)
In this case, there are again two values of α, this
ω1 = ω –β
2
0
2
time both real:
.
α = –β ± β2 – ω20 .
One of the basic results of complex analysis is
that exp(iω 1 ) = cos ω1 + i sin ω1. Hence, our As a shorthand, we will write
solutions are linear combinations of the functions
exp á –βt é cos ω1 t and exp á –βt é sin ω1 t . ω2 = β 2 – ω20
.
The solution is easily found to be
The solution is size of β:
äå βx 0 + v 0 ëì
x(t) = exp á − βt é åååå x 0 cosh ω 2 t + sinh ω2 t ìììì
ã ω2 í
0101010101010101010101
1001
0101
0101
0101
0101
0101
0101
0101
01
π
A(ω)
decreasing
damping β π/2
ω0 ω ω0 ω
The height and width of the peak are controlled (The curves have the same color as their partners
mainly by the value of β. The height of the peak in the previous plot.)
is We see that there is always a delay between the
F0 action of the driving force and the response of the
,
2mω 1 β system. When the system is being forced at its
natural frequency ω0 , the phase lag is π/2. You
and its width is proportional to might be familiar with this if you have ever
played on a swingset. You can increase your
2ω 1 β .
amplitude the fastest by leaning back right at the
The smaller the damping β, the higher and bottom of your swing, one-quarter cycle behind
narrower the peak gets, and the closer the your maximum amplitude.
resonant frequency gets to the natural frequency If the driving frequency is much smaller than the
ω0. natural frequency, the driving force and the
response are in phase. This makes sense,
because the system can adjust itself to match the
slow driving force. On the other hand, if the
driving frequency is much higher than the natural
frequency, the driving force and the response are
out of phase (phase lag π).