Chapter IV

Forced/Driven
Oscillations
An additional externally applied harmonic
force acts on the oscillator

Without Damping

d2x
m 2  k x  F0 cos  t
dt

d2x F0
Or, 2
 0 x  cos  t
2

dt m
0 : Natural angular frequency
 : Angular frequency of driving force
Example 1. Spring-mass system with
oscillating ‘fixed’ point
X  A cos  t
X x
F   k(x  X ) O

Equation of motion :
d 2x
2
  0 ( x  A cos t )
2

dt
d 2x
Or,
2
 0 x  0 A cos  t
2 2

dt
Or, d2 x
dt 2
 0 x 
2 F0
m
cos  t 
F0  m 0 A
2

Example 2 Pendulum With Oscillating Point of
Suspension
X
O
X  A cos t x

 
Balancing forces along y, T

m g  T cos   T x

y mg
The restoring force is :

Frest   T sin   mg

 x X

Equation of motion :

d2 x
m 2 
mg
 x  A cos  t 
dt 
Or,
d2 x
 0 x  0 A cos  t
2 2
2
dt
Or,
d2 x
dt 2
 0 x 
2 F0
m
cos  t F
0  m 0 A
2

 Solving the Equation of Motion

d2x F0
2
 0 x  cos  t
2

dt m

The above is a linear, inhomogeneous

differential equation.

The homogeneous part of the equation is :

d2x
2
 0x  0
2

dt
Theory of linear diff. equation :
Any
M.G.S of M.G.S of particular
Inhomoge- homoge- soln. of
neous = neous + Inhomoge-
Equation Equation neous
Equation

x ( t )  x 0 ( t )  x p. s ( t )
A particular solution of the equation of the
driven oscillator :

d2x F0
2
 0 x  cos  t
2

dt m

d 2z F0 j  t
Complex form : 2
 0 z 
2
e
dt m

j t
Obvious guess : z (t )  A e
 Putting this into the equation :

F0
A (   ) 
2
0
2

m
Or, F0
A 
m (02  2 )

cos  t  A  cos  t

F0
 x p.s 
m (0   )
2 2

Most general solution for the driven oscillator :

F0
x ( t )  A cos(0 t  )  cos  t
m (0   )
2 2
 Resonance
The amplitude of the oscillations :

F0
A() 
m(02  2 )

varies with the driving frequency 

A() A( )

 0 
0

 is phase difference
between F and x
0 
Forced Oscillations with
Damping
Equation of Motion :

d2x dx F0
2
  0 x  cos t
2

dt dt m

To obtain the particular solution, take the

complex form :

d 2z dz F0 j  t
2
  0 z 
2
e
dt dt m
To obtain a particular solution, the obvious
choice is :
j ( t   )
z p.s (t )  A e

Substitution and subsequent solution for A

gives :
F0
A
m (02   2 ) 2   2 2

  
  tan  2
1

2 
 0   
 F0 e j ( t   )
z p.s 
m (   )   
2
0
2 2 2 2

 x p.s  Re ( z p.s )

F0 cos (t   )
x p.s. 
m (02   2 )2   2 2

 A() cos ( t  )
Most General Solution :


 t
x(t )  B e 2
cos ( 't   )  A( ) cos ( t   )

Transient Steady State

The transient part of the solution dies out

after about Q oscillations, and after that the
steady state oscillations go on unabated
A()
F0 m
A() 
(02  2 )2   22

F0
k
m 0 
()

   
  tan  2
1

2 
 0   
2

0 
   0   0

Point of suspension Point of suspension

and bob in phase and bob out of phase
Resonance in the presence of
damping
Assuming Q to be reasonably large :
F0 m
A() 
(   ) 2
(02  2 )2  0
Q2
A0
 (A0  A(0)  F m02 )
2
  0  1
  
  2
0   0  Q
Maximizing A w.r.t. ω one gets :
1/ 2
 1   1 
m  0 1   0 1  2 
 2Q2   4Q 
 A 0Q
A m  A(m )  1/ 2
 1 
1  2 
 4Q 
Q  30

Q  10
A()
Q5

Q3

Q 1
A0
0 
Amplitude for increasing quality
 Spectacular Effect of Resonance

Bridge Collapse Due to Soldiers Marching in

Step

Broughton Bridge, England - 1831

Angers Bridge, France - 1850
Tacoma Narrows bridge, USA - 1940
After the collapse of Tacoma Narrows

Governor of Washington State :

We are going to build the exact same bridge,

exactly as before

Engineer who gave the design :

Sir, if you build the exact same bridge,

exactly as before, it is going to fall into the
exact same river exactly as before.
Prob. 4.5 A simple pendulum has a length of
1 m. In free vibration the amplitude falls off by
a factor e in 50 swings. The pendulum is set
into forced vibration by moving its point of
suspension horizontally in SHM with an
amplitude of 1 mm.

a) Show that if the horizontal displacement

of the bob is x and the horizontal
displacement of its point of suspension is 
the equation of motion of the pendulum is :
d2x dx g g
2
  x 
dt dt  
Answer :

O
x

 
T
f damp
x
y mg

In the x-y (inertial) frame, the Eq. of motion is :

2
d x g dx
m 2   m ( x  )  b
dt  dt
 d2 x dx g g
Or, 2
  x 
dt dt  
d2 x dx
Or, 2
    2
0 x   0  0 cos t
2

dt dt
d2 x dx F0
Or, 2
  0 x 
2
cos t F0  m 02 0
dt dt m
b) At exact resonance, what is the amplitude
of motion of the bob of the pendulum
A 0Q
A m  A(m )  1/ 2
 1 
1  2 
 4Q 
After n oscillations, the amplitude drops by a
factor :
 n Q
e
 50 Q  1  Q  50 

F0
A0   0  1 mm
m0 2

 Am  A0Q  50  mm  15.7 cm
c) At what angular frequency, is the amplitude
half its resonance value?

A0 A 0Q
A()  
  0 
2
1 2
    2
0   0  Q


Putting  x, the equation to be solved :
0

4 
2 1 
2
1  x 2
 x   x   2   (1  x ) 
2 2

 x 
2
Q Q  Q2
Since x is expected to be extremely close to 1,
put : x  1  
 1  x 2   2

4 1
 2  4  2
2

Q Q

3 3
Or,       5.5  103
2Q 100

   0 1  0.0055 ; 0  10  3.16 s1

Prob. 4.6. Simple Seismograph as in figure below.
It consists of a mass m hung from a spring on a rigid
framework attached to the earth. The spring force
and damping force depend on displacement and
velocity relative to the earth’s surface, but the
dynamically significant acceleration is acceleration
of M relative to the fixed stars.

Equilibrium The earth shaking

under a tremor
a) Show that the equation of
motion is :
d2y dy d 2

2
  0 y   2
2 y
dt dt dt 

y is displacement of m relative to earth and

 is displacement of earth’s surface itself.

Ans :
Since y is defined w.r.t. the earth’s frame,
which is non-inertial, the forces are as shown.
 : Fictitious
: Spring
y : Damping


d 2 dy
Ffict m 2 ; Fspring   k y ; Fdamp b
dt dt

Eq. of Motion :
d2y dy d 2
m 2  b  ky  m 2
dt dt dt
b) Solve for y if   C cos t

Dividing out by m and putting   C cos t

d2y dy
2
   0
2
y  C  2
cos t
dt dt
C 2
 F0  m C  2
A0 
 2
0

F0 cos (t   )
y
m (02   2 ) 2   2 2

c) Plot a graph of amplitude versus driving

frequency.
d) A typical long period seismometer has a
period of about 30 sec. and quality of 2. As a
result of earthquake the earth’s surface may
oscillate with a period of 20 min. and with an
amplitude such that the maximum
acceleration is about 109 m  s2 sec. How
small a value of the displacement of the
block must be observable, if the quake is to
be detected.
 30 s
  0.025
0 20 min

amax  C  2

a max
 A0  2  2.25  108 m
0

A0
A( ) 
2
  0  1
  
  2
0  0  Q

A( )  22 nm
 Transient Phenomena
In a driven oscillator, the motion in the
beginning is not quite simple harmonic. This
part of the motion is called the transients.
Afterwards, the motion settles to a SHM of a
frequency, that is equal to the driving
frequency.

Complete motion :

 t
x(t )  B e 2
cos (0 t   )  A( ) cos ( t   )
At resonance,   0 ,    2 , A  A0Q


 t
 x(t )  B e 2
cos (0 t   )  A0Q sin 0t

With initial conditions : x(0)  x (0)  0

  t

x ( t )  A0Q 1  e 2  sin 0 t
 
x(t)
A 0Q

Transients
Steady State
 Power Input to a Driven
Oscillator in the Steady
State
Instantaneous power input to the oscillator
by the driving force :
P  Fv

F  F0 cos t
dx
v   A()  sin( t  )
dt
  v 0 sin(t  )
 A 00
v 0   A() 
2
 0  1
    2
  0  Q

Resonance for velocity amplitude occurs

exactly at the natural frequency

P( t )   F0 v 0 cos t sin( t  )

  F0 v 0 (cos  cos t sin t  sin  cos2 t )

T
1 1
P()   P( t ) dt  F0 v 0 sin 
T0 2
Prob. 4.10 The power required to maintain
forced vibration must be equal to the power
loss due to damping.

a) Find the instantaneous rate of doing work

against the damping force.
Ans dW
   Fdampv
dt

 b v2

 b2A2 sin2 ( t  )
b) Find the mean rate of doing work
against damping
Ans :
T
dW 2 1
 b  A  sin 2 ( t  ) dt
2

dt T0

1 2 2
 b A
2
c) Substitute the value of A at any
arbitrary frequency and hence obtain the
expression for average P.
 1 1
Ans: Pdrive  F0 v 0 sin   F0  A sin 
2 2

Since tan   2
0  2
tan  b
sin   
1  tan2  m (02  2 )2   22
b A

F0
bF02 (2m 202 )
 Pdrive
1 2 2
 b A 
2    
2
1 
 0    2 
  0  Q 

Power Resonance Curve
1 2 2 bF02 (2m 202 )
P()  b  A 
2    
2
1 
 0    2 
  0  Q 


P is maximum at   0
bF02 Q 2 F02
 Pm  
2m 20
2
2b
Pm 1
 P()  2 2
Q   1
 0
   2
  0  Q
 Width of Power Resonance Curve
(Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM))
P()

Pm

Pm 2


0 
 : FWHM
 Finding FWHM
Pm
Equating P() to
2

1 1 1
 2 2
2 Q   1
 0
   2
  0  Q

2
 0 
 Q 
2
   1
  0 

 0  1
     
  0  Q
 
Putting  1   , where   1
0
1 1 1
 (1  )    
1  Q 2Q
 1
1
0 2Q
P()

0
   
Q

0
 Q

0   2 0 0   2 
P()
Q = 30

Q=5

Q=3
Q=1

0 
Prob. 4.12 A mass of 2 kg is hung from a
spring that is extended by 2.5 cm. The
top end of the spring is oscillated up and
down with an amplitude 1 mm. The Q of
the system is 15.

a) What is 0 for this system?

k  800 N / m ; 0  20 s1
b) What is the amplitude of the oscillations
at   0 ?
 0 cos t 0  1 mm 

Equation of motion is
y
d2y dy
2
   0
2
y   0  2
cos t F0  m0 2
dt dt
F0
A0  0 1mm for   0
m0
2

A(0 )  A0Q 15 mm

c) What is the mean power input to maintain
an oscillation at 2% higher than 0 ?

Pm 1 F02 1
P ( )  2 2
 2 2
Q   1 2bQ  0  1
 0
   2     2
 0  Q  0  Q
A02 m 03 1
  F0  A0 m0 & bQ  m0
2
2
2Q    1
 0
   2
 0  Q

Putting 1  (  0.02)
0
A 20 m30 1
P  0.11 w
2Q 4  2  1
Q2
Prob. 4.17 The graph
shows the mean power 10

P, watts
absorbed by an
oscillator when driven 5
by a force of constant
magnitude but variable 0.995 1 1.005 
frequency. ( M Hz)

a) At exact resonance, how much work per

cycle is being done against the resistive force?
0  106 s1  T0  2  10 6 s

 Work / cycle  Pmax T0  2  10 5

J
b) At exact resonance, what is the total
mechanical energy E 0 of the oscillator?

1 2 2 1
Pm  b 0 A   E0 where E0  m 0 A
2 2

2 2

From the power resonance curve :

     0.01  10 s6 1
 104 s1

Pm
 E0   1.0 mJ

c) If the driving force is turned off, how long
does it take for the energy of the oscillator
to drop to E0 e1 ?

t
E( t )  E0 e

 t  1   10 4 s
 Line Width of Atomic Spectral Lines

P()

0
  
Q

0 

Out of the broad spectrum of the incident

light, the atom absorbs appreciably, only
within the frequency range  around 0
For an atom :

0 ~ 1015 Hz ; Q ~ 108

  ~ 107 Hz

  8
~ 10 8  ~ 10
0 0
0
At 5000 A
5
  5  10 A 0
 Electrical Resonance
Free Oscillations of LC Circuit
i C
VC  VL  0
q -q
di q
L  0
dt C
d 2q 1 L
Or, L 2  q0
dt C
Comparing this with the equation of motion
of a SHO we get the correspondence :
1
mL;k
C
Angular frequency of free oscillations :
1
0 
LC
q  q0 cos (0t   )

Free Oscillations LCR Circuit

i C
VL  VR  VC  0 q -q
R
di q
L  Ri  0
dt C
L
 d 2q
Or, L 2  R d q  q  0
dt dt C
New correspondence :
R
 
L
q  q0 e  Rt 2 L
cos( t   )
Forced Oscillations of LCR Circuit
i

V  V0 cos  t ~ R

d 2q dq q
L 2  R   V0 cos  t L
dt dt C

Steady State Solution :

q( t )  q0 () cos(t  )