1

• For ideal SHM, total energy remained constant and

displacement followed a simple sine curve for infinite time

• In practice some energy is always dissipated by a resistive or

viscous process

• Example, the amplitude of a freely swinging pendulum will

always decay with time as energy is lost

• The presence of resistance to motion means that another force

is active, which is taken as being proportional to the velocity

2
Frictional force acts in the direction opposite to that of
the velocity (see figure below)

Newton’s Second law becomes:

where r is the constant of proportionality and has the

dimensions of force per unit of velocity and the
presenENCE of this term will always result in energy
loss

3
 differential
equation

where the coefficients m, r and s are constant

When these coefficients are constant a solution of the form

can always be found

C has the dimension of x (i.e. length)

 has the dimension of inverse time
4
The displacement can now be expressed as:

the sum of both these terms:

6
 The generalized displacement of the damped oscillator which decays
continuously with time is expressed as:

y  e  pt (C1e qt  C 2 e  qt )
 The quantity q depends both on the external forces (resistive in
nature) as well as intrinsic properties (elasticity and inertia) of the
oscillator.
o The first portion p=r/2m describes the opposition offered by
the external forces on the motion of oscillator.
o The second term s/m indicates the opposition provided to the
oscillator due to its intrinsic properties.
damping resistance term stiffness term

= positive, zero or negative

depending on the relative magnitude of the two terms inside it

 three possible solutions and each solution describes a

particular kind of behaviour

: heavy damping results in a dead beat system

: balance between the two terms results in a

critically damped system

: system is lightly damped and gives

oscillatory damped simple harmonic motion

8
 Such systems are characterized by q>0.
The opposing external forces dominate the intrinsic restoring forces resulting
due to elasticity and inertia of the oscillator.

Let F  C1  C 2 and G  C1  C 2 then we have :

 ( F  G ) qt ( F  G ) qt 
 pt
ye  e  e 
 2 2 
 pt  ( e qt
 e  qt
) ( e qt
 e  qt
)
 e F G 
 2 2 

ye  pt
F cosh qt  G sinh qt
9
Hyperbolic functions of sine and
cosine, in the solution implies
aperiodic nature of oscillations.
Such a system, if disturbed, will not
exhibit oscillations but rather returns
very slowly to the mean position.

Hyperbolic sine:

Hyperbolic cosine:
10
• This represents non-oscillatory behaviour
• The actual displacement will depend upon the initial or
boundary conditions

• If x = 0 at t = 0, then F = 0 and displacement x become

11
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

If x = 0 at t = 0
 F0

 x  e  pt G sinh qt
 r 2 s 
1/ 2

 x  Gert / 2m sinh 2
  t
 4m m 


12
It will return to zero
displacement quite
slowly without
oscillating about its
equilibrium position

13
 Case 2: Critical Damping
 q=0


satisfies

The term Bt is necessary since y is

A = a constant length
the solution of second order
B = a given velocity which depends
differential equation. on the boundary conditions 14
 If a system, in critically damped condition, is given a
sudden impulse then it returns to zero displacement in
minimum time.
 These systems also don’t exhibit any oscillation.
 The displacement vs time graph is:

Show that for a critically

damped oscillator, the
maximum displacement
is given as x=2mv/re and
time to reach at this
displacement is t=2m/r
 Example:
 Mechanical oscillators which experience sudden impulses
and are required to return to zero displacement in the
minimum time

 Suppose: at t = 0, displacement x = 0 (i.e. A = 0) and

receives an impulse which gives it an initial velocity V

at t = 0:

Complete solution:

16
At maximum displacement:

At this time the displacement is:

17
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

These are damped oscillating systems characterized by negative values of q (i.e.

q<0) and hence the opposing forces are not able to nullify the restoring forces.
Such systems oscillate under the influence of reduced restoring force.
when

= imaginary quantity

So the displacement is:

18
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

The bracket has the dimensions of inverse time (i.e. of frequency)


 the behaviour of the displacement x is oscillatory with a
new frequency

 = frequency of ideal simple harmonic motion

19
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

To compare the behaviour of the damped oscillator with

the ideal case, we have to express the solution in a form
similar to that in the ideal case, i.e.

Rewrite:

Choose:

where A and  are constant which depend on the motion at t = 0

20
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

SHM with new frequency:

Amplitude A is modified by e-rt/2m (which decays with time)

21
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

 The under-damped system

executes oscillations with
amplitude which decays
exponentially with time.
 The frequency of oscillations is
lower than natural frequency
of the free oscillator.

22
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

solution

solution

: heavy damped

: critically damped

: damped SHM

23
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

: heavy damped

24
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

: critically damped

25
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

: damped SHM

Amplitude A is modified by e-rt/2m (which decays with time)

26
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

Logarithmic Decrement, 

Relaxation Time or Modulus of Decay

Q-value of a Damped Simple Harmonic Oscillator

27
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

Methods of Describing the Damping of an Oscillator

Energy of an oscillator:

proportional to the square of its amplitude: E  a2

In the presence of a damping force

the amplitude decays with time as
So the energy decay will be proportional to

 E
• The larger the value of the damping force r the more rapid
the decay of the amplitude and energy
28
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

Logarithmic Decrement
= measures the rate at which the amplitude dies away

Suppose in the expression:

Choose  = /2, x = A0 at t = 0:

29
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

Methods of Describing the Damping of an Oscillator

29
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

Methods of Describing the Damping of an Oscillator

If the period of oscillation is ’ where = 2/

then one period later the amplitude is given by

where:

- logarithmic decrement
31
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

Methods of Describing the Damping of an Oscillator

The logarithmic decrement  is the logarithm of the ratio of

two amplitudes of oscillation which are separated by one
period

Experimentally, the value of is best found by comparing

amplitudes of oscillations which are separated by n periods.

The graph of versus n for different value of n has a

slope 
A method to evaluate r
32
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

Another way of expressing the damping effect:

time taken for the amplitude to decay to
of its original value Ao

 at time

33
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

Q-value of a Damped Simple Harmonic Oscillator

The decay of the amplitude:

The decay of energy is proportional to


where E0 is the energy value at t = 0

34
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

Q-value of a Damped Simple Harmonic Oscillator

• Time for the energy E decay to E0e-1 : t = m/r

• During this time the oscillator will have vibrated
through ’t rad

define the Quality Factor or Q-value:

Q-value = number of radians through which the

damped system oscillates as its energy
decays to

35
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

Q-value of a Damped Simple Harmonic Oscillator

If r is small, then Q is very large 

to a very close approximation:

which is a constant of the damped system

36
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

Q-value of a Damped Simple Harmonic Oscillator

Q is a constant implies that the ratio

is also a constant

is the number of cycles (or

 complete oscillations) through
which the system moves in
decaying to

37
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

If

the energy lost per cycle is:

where (the period of oscillation)

38
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

For the damped oscillator shown,

m = 250 g, k = 85 N m-1, and
r = 0.070 kg s-1.
(a) What is the period of the
motion?
(b) How long does it take for the
amplitude of the damped
oscillation to drop to half of its
initial value?
(c) How long does it take for the r
mechanical energy to drop to
one half its initial value.
40
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

Solution
(a) Period is approximately that of undamped oscillator:

m 0.25
T  2  2  0.34 s
k 85

(b) Amplitude of oscillation: Ae-rt/2m = 0.5A

 
ln e rt / 2m  rt / 2m  ln 0.5

 2m ln 0.5  2  0.25 (0.6931)

t   4.95 s
r 0.070

41
UEEP1033 Oscillations and Waves Topic 1-2 Damped SHM

Solution
1
(c) Mechanical energy at time t is kA2 e rt / m
2

1 2 rt / m 1  1 2 
kA e   kA 
2 2 2 
rt 1
   ln
m 2
1
 m ln  (0.25)(0.6931)
 t2   2.48 s
r 0.070

42
 Every LC circuit has some resistance,
which may result from resistance of
inductor coil and that of connecting
wires.
 The charge oscillations in such LC
circuits get damped due to energy loss
caused by Joule’s heating of resistive
components.
 The voltage equation, in analogy to
damped mechanical oscillator, is:
q
  Rq   0
Lq
C
 The solution of this differential equation gives the time
behaviour of charge on the plates of capacitor and is
expressed as:

R
t
 t
R2

1
t
R2

1 
qe 2L q1e 4 L2 LC
 q2 e 4 L2 LC 
 
 
 Over Damped LCR Circuit

R2 1

4 L2 LC

Capacitor discharges completely over a time interval

decided by magnitude of resistance in the circuit.
 Critically Damped Circuit
R2 1

4 L2 LC
Capacitor discharges completely within minimum
possible time.
 Under-Damped LCR Circuit
R2 1

4 L2 LC
The charge on the plates of capacitor decay with time in
an oscillatory manner and its value at any instant is:
R
 t
q  qo e 2L
sin(t   )
The frequency of oscillations is
1 R2 R 2
  2  02  2
LC 4 L 4L