Physics Factsheet @ Damping in 1. Properties of the Damping Force Many different models of the damping force have been proposed, ‘bat you will mostly only have to deal with viscous damping (and the word “viscous” is frequently omitted) = (a) its magnitude is proportional to the magnitude of the velocity of the oscillating body (b) it acts in @ direction opposite to that of the velocity (©) it causes kinetic energy to be transformed into other forms (generally heat) (a) and (b) may be expressed as: ‘damping force e ~ (velocity) Characteristics of the damping force are: (velocity) where eis @ constant = You may be asked to identify properties from a multichoice list, or to provide a list of properties, The three properties given above are the primary properties of a damping force ‘Typical Exam Question: Example 1 Which of the following statements always applies to damping force acting on a vibrating system: (a) Its in the same direction as the acceleration (b) It sin the opposite direction to the velocity (©) Itis in the same direction as the displacement (@) It is proportional to the displacement Angwer:_(b) onl When answering questions on oscillations, itis very helpful to initially identify when they are referring to free vibrations, and when they are referring to forved vibrations, (even though this is not always made cleat). So here is a brief outine of the characteristics of each, 2. Free Vibration [@QP— Free vibration arises when the system is displaced from | is equlibrium positon and then released. The only forces acting on the sytem after release are those generated by the elements of the system ie. springs, dampers and mass (a) Free Vibration, Nodamping If thre is no damping then the system will osillate with the amplitude of the iil displacement (A) at frequeney ) determined by the system properties wher 1 £ k am iffness, Oscillations ‘This is often called the natural frequency. Such oscillation will continue with undiminished amplitude indefinitely displacement eo no damping ime for I cycle f= IT (b) Free Vibration Damping Exists If damping exists, and is less than a certain critical value, then the sysiem will oscillate with an exponentially diminishing amplitude and at a slightly reduced frequency (longer periodic time). ‘The frequency is slightly less than the natural frequency given above, Ifthe damping equals, or is greater than this critical value, then no ‘oscillation occurs, In either case the body will eventually come to rst at its equilibrium position, seitcal damping éisplacement exponential evelope aver, just belowertical amping. ‘Typical Exam Question Example 2 Explain how a free oscillation is affected by the amount of damping. Answer Points to make: (a) Damping causes energy Joss from the oscillating system (b) If there is no damping, oscillation continues undiminished (6) Less than critical damping successively reduces the amplitude ‘of oscillation in each cycle, until it eventually becomes zero. (@) Increasing damping reduces the number of eycles needed to reach the stationary condition (©) If damping is sufficiently large, ie. critical or above, then there is no oseillation ———————————_O- ) 0,0143, Damping in Oscillations Physics Factsheet SS 3, Foreed Vibration QW Forced vibration arises when the system oscillates de 10 an input from an extemal agency, i. the world outside the spsten. This input usualy takes the form ofan oscillation, or a sequence of pulses. In this case, the frequency of the forced vibration is determined by the “outside agenoy”. (A force applied at a frequency of SOHz will ‘cause the system 10 oscillate at SOHE, even if its natural frequency is different from this.) ‘he amplitude of the vibration is determined by both the vibrating system, and the magnitude and frequency ofthe input. Resonance may occur when the driving frequency is the same as the natural frequency of the system. ‘The behaviour is most easily described by plotting the peak amplitude of the oscillation against the applied frequency - x picture known a6 the “frequency domain” i.e. asin the diagram below. (a) Forced Vibration NoDamping If there is no damping, then the amplitude becomes infinitely great at the so-called “resonant frequency”, This is given by: fae ‘which happens to be the same as the natural frequency met in free vibration (indicated by the broken vertical line on the diagram). (b) Forced Vibration Damping Exists "The effect of the introduction of damping is to: () reduce the magnitude of the resonant peak () change the frequeney at which it occurs. Notice that above a certain critical value of damping there is no resonant peak, Also note that the introduction of damping reduces the amplitude of the motion at all frequencies but does not change the frequency ~ vibrations will still occur at the frequency of the applied oscillations, amplimde Jighe damping ical damping ‘over ertial damping Exam Hint (a)endeavour to understand all the above characteristics of the two regimes, free and forced (b)examine the question and try to deduce with which regime the question is concerned (c) endeavour 0 apply the facts of these characteristics to the situation posed by the question 4, Effect of Damping on the Energy in the System, The damping force causes energy to be “lost” by the Oscillating system. Damping force is related 10 the velocity of the moving body (see 1 above). Hence energy “lost” is related to the velocity of the moving body. If there is no damping, then no energy is transferred to heat or sound. o~ (a) Free Vibration Energy is supplied only during the Initial displacement. This is the total energy. Whilst oscillating, energy varies from potential to kinetic and back No damping: total energy remains the same for all time, none 1s absorbed. Damping exists: energy is “absorbed” from the total value, which then gradually diminishes, hence reducing the ‘amplitude in successive cycles (b) Forced Vibration Energy is supplied by the external agency. It makes up for the energy which is lost in each cycle due to the damping force. Typical Exam Question: Example 3 Given the following displacement-time graph for an oscillating system, show how the damping force varies with time, Also indicate the point in the cycle when the energy “absorbed” is a maximum, Jand also the point where itis zero, isplacement Answer: 1. Sketch the displacement. time curve as given 2. Add the velocity- time curve, remembering, velocity = gradient of the displacement- time curve 3, Sketch damping force curve, which is proportional to velocity, but acts in the opposite direction, 4, Energy absorbed is related to damping force. 5 Indicate maximum and zero (Remember that the damping force causes the energy “loss”, fand the damping force will be greatest when the velocity is greatest. This will occur when the oscillating body is passing through the rest position, And there will be zer0 energy “loss? ‘when the velocity is zeco - this occurs when the displacement is maximum), Tequency Acknowlaigenens ‘hr Plytes Pace war researched and ren by DW Perkins ‘The Curcuin Presson Hose, 105 King Set. Welngten, Sop, TPL INU