In a damped harmonic oscillator, what happens to the amplitude of oscillation over time?

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Q: In a damped harmonic oscillator, what happens to the amplitude of oscillation over time?

Solution: In a damped harmonic oscillator, the amplitude of oscillation decreases over time due to energy loss.

Steps: 6

Step 1: Understand what a damped harmonic oscillator is. It is a system that oscillates (moves back and forth) but loses energy over time.
Step 2: Recognize that oscillation involves moving up and down or back and forth, creating an amplitude, which is the maximum distance from the center position.
Step 3: Learn that in a damped system, like a swinging pendulum or a vibrating spring, energy is lost due to factors like friction or air resistance.
Step 4: Realize that as energy is lost, the force that keeps the oscillation going becomes weaker.
Step 5: Notice that because of this energy loss, the maximum distance (amplitude) the system reaches during each oscillation becomes smaller over time.
Step 6: Conclude that the amplitude of oscillation decreases gradually until the system eventually stops moving.