Free, damped and forced oscillations

There are three main types of simple harmonic motion:

(a) free oscillations simple harmonic motion with a constant amplitude and period and no
external influences
(b) damped oscillations simple harmonic motion but with a decreasing amplitude and varying
period due to external or internal damping forces
(c) forced oscillations simple harmonic motion but driven externally

(a) Free oscillations

The amplitude remains constant as time passes, there is no damping. This type of oscillation
will only occur in theory since in practice there will always be some damping. The displacement
will follow the formula x = r sin t where r is the amplitude. It is these types of oscillation that we
have looked at already.
Addition of free simple harmonic motions
It is interesting to look at the superposition of two simple harmonic motions, such as
a pendulum that is set swinging and then pushed sideways at an angle to its
original motion. However to see the motion clearly it is best done on the
oscilloscope or using a computer. You can also show this motion quite easily by
using a can with a hole in the bottom and full of sand as the pendulum bob. As the
can swings they sand dribbles out tracing a pattern of the motion on the floor below.

Figure 1

(i) If two simple harmonic motions act along the same direction with the same
frequency, then their resultant is a simple harmonic motion with the same frequency
along that line. The amplitude will be constant but will depend on the phase
difference between the two simple harmonic motions. For example if the driving
forces were out of step there would be no motion at all. A phase difference of
means that one driving force would be trying to move the object in one direction
while the other would be trying to move it in exactly the opposite direction they
would cancel and so the net result would be no motion.
(ii) If their frequencies are different but they still act along the same line then beats
will be produced, the variation in amplitude depending on the difference in
frequency. You will be able to find out about beats in more detail in the section on
wave motion. Simply, they give rise to the warbling sound that you get if two
instruments that are slightly out of tune compared to each other are played
together. The closer the two frequencies come the smaller is the beat frequency
and when they are exactly in tune the beat frequency is zero and the effect
disappears.
(iii) If they act in perpendicular directions there are two sets of possibilities:
1. The frequencies are the same and of equal amplitude:
a phase difference 0 gives a straight line, a phase difference of /2 gives a circle, and a phase
difference of gives zero oscillation.

2. The frequencies are different but of equal amplitude:

this gives Lissajous figures, three examples of which are shown in the accompanying diagram.
for a phase difference of /2. The numbers of loops in the x and y directions can be counted,
and this will give the frequency ratio of the two s.h.m.s:
frequency ratio (fx/fy) = number of loops in x-direction/ number of loops in y-direction

Figure 2

fy:fx = 3:2

fy:fx = 3:1

fy:fx = 2:1

Student investigation
The damping of the oscillations of a system can be very important. Investigate the damping in the
two following examples.
(a) Air damping
The effect of air damping on the oscillations of a helical spring may be carried out using a large disc
of light but rigid cardboard fixed to the spring. You should displace the spring by a given amount and
then record the amplitude of the subsequent oscillations. It may be possible to investigate the
dependence of the damping on the size of the cardboard. Plot suitable linear graphs to present your
results. Would a card with turned-up or turned-down edges be as good or better than the flat card?
(b) Liquid damping
Once again a spring may be used, but this time a metal cylinder should be fixed to the end. This
cylinder should be allowed to oscillate in a cylindrical container of liquid. As before, attempt to record
the variation in amplitude of the oscillations.
Investigate the dependence of the damping on (i) the liquid in the cylindrical container, (ii) the
diameter of the cylindrical container.

(b) Damped oscillations

These are oscillations where energy is taken from the system and so the amplitude decays.
They may be of two types:
(i)Natural damping, examples of which are:
internal forces in a spring,
fluids exerting a viscous drag.

Displacement

Displacement

(ii) Artificial damping, examples of which are:

electromagnetic damping in galvanometers, the coating of panels in cars to reduce vibrations,
shock absorbers in cars, interference damping - gun mountings on ships.
Artificial damping can be light, in which case the system oscillates about the midpoint (Figure
3(a)), heavy, in which the system takes a long time to reach equilibrium (Figure 3(b)) or critical,
where the system reaches equilibrium in a short time compared with T with no overshoot where
T is the natural period of vibration of the system (Figure 3(c)).

Light damping

Heavy damping

Time

Figure 3(b)

Time

A good example of damping can be seen in the moving

coil galvanometer. Electromagnetic damping is used
here: the coil moves in a magnetic field and the current
flowing in it can be shorted with a resistor, thus varying
the damping. The system is either
(i) dead beat that is, critically damped, or
(ii) ballistic the damping is as small as possible.
With reasonably light damping the period is unchanged
but as the damping is increased the time period is
increased and the oscillations die away more rapidly.

Displacement

Figure 3(a)

Critical damping

Time

Figure 3(c)

Damping is also important in a weighing machine (balance) such as in a shop or a checkout at a

supermarket where a true reading of the mass of an object placed on the scale pan is needed
quickly. If the damping was light and the pan oscillated you could clearly get a bargain by
choosing to pay when the reading was low. If the damping was heavy you would obviously have
to wait a long time before the true reading was reached. Some possible variations of reading
(displacement from the final correct reading) are shown in Figure 4)

Displacement ()

Light damping

Final
correct
reading
Critical or dead beat

Heavy damping

Figure 4

Time
(c) Forced oscillations
These are vibrations that are driven by an external force. A simple example of forced vibrations
is a childs swing: as you push it the amplitude increases. A loudspeaker is also an example of
forced oscillations; it is made to vibrate by the force on the magnet on the current in the coil
fixed the speaker cone.
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