If a damped oscillator has a damping ratio of 0.5, what type of damping does it
Practice Questions
Q1
If a damped oscillator has a damping ratio of 0.5, what type of damping does it exhibit?
Underdamped
Critically damped
Overdamped
None of the above
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
If a damped oscillator has a damping ratio of 0.5, what type of damping does it exhibit?
Step 1: Understand what a damping ratio is. It is a number that helps us describe how an oscillator behaves when it is damped.
Step 2: Identify the value of the damping ratio given in the question, which is 0.5.
Step 3: Recall the rule for damping ratios: If the damping ratio (ζ) is less than 1, the motion is called underdamped.
Step 4: Since 0.5 is less than 1, we conclude that the oscillator exhibits underdamped motion.
Damping Ratio – The damping ratio (ζ) is a dimensionless measure that describes how oscillations in a system decay after a disturbance. It helps classify the type of damping: underdamped (ζ < 1), critically damped (ζ = 1), and overdamped (ζ > 1).
Underdamped Motion – Underdamped motion occurs when the damping ratio is less than 1, resulting in oscillations that gradually decrease in amplitude over time.
