KC4017 - Particles, Waves & Big Bang Seminar sheet 4 • 1

Seminar sheet 4: Damped Oscillators

Q1. An α particle of mass m enters a uniform magnetic field with velocity v⊥ and is subject to
the magnetic force of constant magnitude F = B that is always perpendicular to the direction
of motion (see Fig.1). It describes a circular trajectory of radius r as shown in figure below.

i) Show that the projection of the motion on the y, z−axes is harmonic.

ii) Find the angular frequency and the amplitude of the harmonic motion, and the elasticity
constant of the equivalent Hooke’s spring.

iii) Knowing that the angular frequency ω0 is given by the formula ω0 = v⊥ /r and assuming
that the initial position of the α particle corresponds to the angle θ = π/4, find the phase
shift φ0 such that
x(t) = A sin(ω0 t + φ0 ).

Figure 1: Motion of charged particles in a magnetic field.

Q2. (Bauer, Problem 14.48) A mass of 0.404 kg is attached to a spring with a spring constant
of 206.9 N/m. Its oscillation is damped, with damping constant γ = 14.5 kg/s. What is the
frequency f 0 of this damped oscillation?

Q3. A mass of m=20g stretches a spring x=5cm. Suppose that the mass is also attached to a
viscous damper with a damping constant of γ=400 dyn.s/cm. (1 dyn = 10−5 N)
i) If the mass is pulled down an additional 2 cm and then released, find its position at any time
y(t);
ii) Determine the quasi frequency ω’ and quasi period T’;
iii) Determine the ratio of the quasi period T’ to the period of undamped oscillation T;
 KC4017 - Particles, Waves & Big Bang Seminar sheet 4 • 2

iv) Find the time τ such that |y(t)| <0.05 cm for all t > τ .

Q4. A particle of mass m = 2.5 kg, sliding with friction on a horizontal plane, is attached to a
spring with spring constant k = 20 N/m. The friction is modeled by a drag force with damping
constant γ. In the small damping regime, the position of the mass at the time t with respect to
its equilibrium position is given by

 
−ωγ t 1
1
cos ω 0 t + sin ω 0 t


x(t) = e .
2 4

At t = 1 s the particle is located precisely at its equilibrium position.

Find the damping constant γ, and verify that the assumption of small damping is indeed
justified.

Q5. A series circuit (see Fig.2) has a capacitor of C=10−5 F, a resistor R=300Ω and an inductor
of L=0.2H. The equation describing the oscillation of this charge q and the initial conditions of
the oscillations are given as follows:

d2 q dq 1
L (t) + R (t) + q(t) = E 0 (t); q(t0 ) = q0 ; q 0 (t0 ) = I(t0 ) = I0 .
dt2 dt C
• i)If the initial charge on the capacitor is C=10−6 F and there is no initial current and no
impressed voltage (E 0 (t)=0), write a formula for the charge q oscillations on the capacitor
at any time t.

Figure 2: Charge oscillation in electric circuit with resistance R, induction L, capacitance C and
impressed voltage E(t).

• ii) If a circuit (see Fig.2) has a capacitor of C=0.8x10−6 F and an inductor of L=0.2H.
Find the resistance R so that the circuit becomes critically damped. Use the same equa-
tion for the charge oscillation as in the previous step.

Q6. (Bauer, Problem 14.46) A 3kg mass attached to a spring with k = 140 N/m is oscillating
in a vat of oil, which damps the oscillations.

i) If the damping constant of the oil is γ = 10 kg/s, how long will it take the amplitude of the
oscillations to decrease to 1% of its original value?
KC4017 - Particles, Waves & Big Bang Seminar sheet 4 • 3

ii) What should the damping constant be to reduce the amplitude of the oscillations by 99%
in 1s?

Answers
v⊥ qB q2 B 2
Q1. ii) A=r ω0 = r = m K= m

iii) φ0 = 43 π

Q2. f 0 ≈ 2.19 Hz

Q3. i) 0.02y + 04y 0 + 3.92y = 0

√
ii) ω 0 = 4 6 rad.s−1 , T 0 = π
√
2 6
s

0
iii) T = π7 , TT = 7
√
2 6

iv) |y(τ )| < 0.05 for all t > .4045s

Q4. γ ≈ 9.825 kg/s

Q5. i) y(t) = 10−6 (2e−500t − e−1000t );

q
0.7
ii) R = 2 0.2×10
8 = 103 Ω

Q6. i) t ≈ 2.76 s

ii) γ ≈ 27.63 kg/s