Forced Oscillations

Undamped Force
Damped Force

 We have seen, amplitude of oscillations die out due

to resistance.
To maintain oscillation we need a driving force.
If a force is continually or repeatedly applied to
keep the oscillation going, it is a forced oscillator.
Undamped
Damped
Example: A person on a swing
http://www.acoustics.salford.ac.uk/feschools/waves/shm3.php

The Undamped Forced Oscillator

yocoswt
m

x
The equation of motion, neglecting damping, is:

mx k ( x y) mx kx Fo coswt
ky

Any periodic function of time can be represented as a sum of

sinusoidal terms (Fouriers theorem) so understanding the
response of an oscillator to the sinusoidal force is important.

Examples of such forced oscillators in Nature:

1. Response of a bound electron to an EM field
2. Tidal response of a lake to the periodic force of the
moon or sun.

To proceed further we need to know how the

displacement behaves as a function of time.
There are 2 ways to do it
Mathematically
Solution from observation

The driving force on the RHS contains coswt term,

the LHS also involves the same time dependence.
We try the solution:

x A coswt

Substituting in

mw

mx kx Fo coswt

k A coswt Fo coswt

Fo
2
A
2 as, wo k / m
k mw

Fo
1
A
2
2
m wo w

Fo
1
x
cos
w
t
2
2
m wo w
x A1e

t / 2

cos(w1t )

x Acos(w1t )

This is the solution of Forced

undamped oscillation

Lightly damped case

Undamped case

What is the difference between Forced undamped solution with the other 2 cases?
No arbitrary constants; the motion is fully determined by F0, w0, w, m.

What about initial conditions? We need to specify the initial

position & velocity for any particle obeying Newtons law.
Actually the solution is correct, but incomplete.
The complete solution is:
Fo
1
x
coswt B cos(wot )
2
2
m wo w
where B, are arbitrary.
The general solution of SHM

mx kx 0

With time, driving force wins,

1
effect of initial conditions dies out, x Fo
cos wt
2
2
m wo w
we are left with steady state solution.

Fo
1
x
cos wt A cos wt
2
2
m wo w
The amplitude of oscillation, A0, as w

and has a finite value at zero frequency,

But increases without limit as the forcing frequency
approaches the natural frequency. A , as w w0
This is called resonance.
However, no physical system can become infinite.

This happened, as we neglected friction. In the presence of

friction, the amplitude remains finite.(next class)

Graph of A vs w

Fo
1
A
m wo2 w 2

Note: w>w0, A<0,

w<w0, A>0.

w0

For w > wo , the amplitude is negative.

What does it mean? F cos wt , x -cos wt =cos( + wt)
The displacement is opposite to the direction of driving force!
In other words, there is a phase difference of between the
displacement and the applied force.
Why is the amplitude very small, when w >> wo or
When w << wo ?
Force is not in phase with the velocity

There is a better way to represent the result.

x= C cos (wt + ), C>0. phase at t=0
C= |A| where x A cos wt

Next Class
Forced Damped Oscillation

Recap : Forced undamped oscillation

mx kx Fo coswt
Fo
1
x
cos wt A cos wt
2
2
m wo w

There is a better way to

represent the result.
x= C cos (wt + ), C>0.
phase at t=0
C= |A| where

x A cos wt

The damped Forced Oscillator

mx kx bx
2
x x w0 x

An additional force is applied

x=0

Fo cos wt

F Fspring Fviscous Fdriving

kx bx Fo coswt

F0
x x w x cos wt
m
2
0

The Forced Damped Oscillator:

2
x x wo x

Fo

coswt
m

Will x =A coswt satisfy this differential equation?

No!
Because of the velocity term which will give rise to a sinwt

The damped Forced Oscillator

F0
x x w x cos wt
m
2
0

F0
y y w y cos wt
m
2
0

F0
i wt
z z w z exp
m
2
0

x=0

F0
i wt
z z w z exp
m
2
0

Trial Solution

= ()

SAME

What is the role of ?

is the phase difference between the driving force and the
motion of the object.
It may happen that F, object moves in
This is a steady state solution, when the object moves with
the frequency of the driving force.

F0
i wt
z z w z exp
m
2
0

Substituting the Trial Solution

= ()

( iwt )

A w iw w exp
2

2
0

Fo
i wt
exp
m

Fo
i
A w w iw exp
m
Fo
cos i sin
m
2

2
0

A w 2 w02 iw

Fo
cos i sin
m

Fo
wA
sin (ii )
m

Fo
A( w w )
cos (i )
m
2

[(i)2 +(ii) 2]

2
0

Fo
A

2
0

2 2

, tan

Lets come back to Real world

x A cos(wt )

w
w02 w 2

x A cos wt
Earlier we determined, A & from initial conditions (t=0).
However, now we have a steady state solution & the system
has no memory of the initial conditions.

Fo

2
0

2 2

w
tan 2
2
w0 w
A & follow from F0, w0, w, .

Fo
A

2
0

2 2

A, as F0 , expected.
At low driving frequency, w0, A0 =
At resonance, w =w0, , A =

w0

0
20

0
= =

At high driving frequency, w , A = 0

QA0

wo
k

Graph of A vs w

w0

wmax

w0

w
tan 2
2
w0 w

w0, =0
w, =
ww0, =/2

tan 2
2
w wo
1

dA Fo 4w w w 2w

0
3
/
2
dw 2m w 2 w 2 2 w 2
o

2
o

A is maximum for w= wmax , w2max = [w2o - 2/2].

In terms of Q, w2max= w2o [1- 1/(2Q2)]

If Q , wmax = w0

wo
Q

Fo

What is Amax?

For
Amax

For Q=30,

2 2

Fo
Q

k
1
1
2

4Q

For Q=3, wmax= wo x 0.97

1
0

m
w

Amax 3.04 A0
Amax 30A0

Amax
A0=Q

wmax

w0

Fo
A

2
0

2 2

For light damping, A is maximum for w = wo i.e. resonance,

and the amplitude at resonance is:

Fo
A(wo )
mwo
The behaviour of A and as functions of w, depends
markedly on the ratio /wo= 1/Q
As 0, A(w0) , as we expect for an undamped
oscillator. The phase changes abruptly.

A. P. French figure 4.9

A. P. French figure 4.9

A(wo )

Fo
mwo

w2max = [w2o - 2/2]

w0 = 5

w0 = 5

Fo
A(wo )
mwo
w2max = [w2o - 2/2]

As increases, the maximum amplitude occurs at a frequency

less than the resonant frequency

wmax

Resonance in a lightly damped system : Q

x A cos(wt )

v Aw sin(wt )

1 2
U t kA cos 2 (w t )
2
K t

1
mw 2 A2 sin 2 (w t )
2

1 2
E (t ) K U A mw 2 sin 2 (wt ) k cos 2 (wt )
2

Time Average value of K & U

1
1
2
2
U kA cos (w t ) kA2
2
4

1
K mw 2 A2 sin 2 (w t )
2

1
2
2
2
E mA w w0
4

1
mw 2 A2
4
Fo

2
0

wo2 w 2
F 2o
E (w )
2
2
2
4m wo w w 2

w2

Let us now see the dependence of E on w

wo2 w 2
F 2o
E (w )
4m wo2 w 2 2 w 2

For light damping, w0

/w0= 0.1
/w0= 0.4

<E(w)> is effectively 0
except near Resonance.
If, ww0 in <E(w)>
Not much error.

1.0

<E(w)>
0.5

0.5

1.0

1.5

We can write,

wo2 w 2 (w0 w )(w0 w ) 2w0 (w0 w )

For small , <E(w)> is effectively 0, except near resonance.
We replace ww0. With this approximation,

2wo2
F 2o
E (w )
2
2
2
4m 4wo w w0 / 2

F 2o
1
E (w )
2
2
8m w w0 / 2

We plot the function

1
2
2
w w0 / 2

Resonance curve
w 0= 8rad/sec

Maximum height of the resonance curve is at w= w0

It falls to maximum, when (w0
0 = /2
=

A , curve becomes higher

and narrower,
The range of frequency over
which the system responds
become smaller.

w ) / 2
2

i.e.

For light damping oscillating freely,

wo
Q

The same oscillator when driven, has a resonance curve

with w = .

w0 w0
resonanace frequency

Q
w
frequency width of the resonanace curve