In a damped harmonic oscillator, which of the following quantities decreases ove
Practice Questions
Q1
In a damped harmonic oscillator, which of the following quantities decreases over time?
Amplitude
Frequency
Angular frequency
Phase constant
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
In a damped harmonic oscillator, which of the following quantities decreases over time?
Step 1: Understand what a damped harmonic oscillator is. It is a system that oscillates (moves back and forth) but loses energy over time due to damping forces like friction.
Step 2: Identify the key quantities in a damped harmonic oscillator. The main quantity we are interested in is the amplitude, which is the maximum distance from the center position during oscillation.
Step 3: Recognize that damping forces cause the oscillator to lose energy. This energy loss results in a decrease in the amplitude of the oscillation.
Step 4: Conclude that as time goes on, the amplitude of the oscillation gets smaller because energy is being lost to the damping forces.
