RESONANCE IN MECHANICAL SYSTEMS AND ANALYSIS OF

BARTONS PENDULUM

1. Contents
CONTENTS
2. Definition of the problem
3. Introduction
4. Problem Analysis
I.
II.

Resonance as a phenomenon
Bartons pendulum

III.

Qualitative anlaysis of Bartons pendulum

IV.

Mathematical description of resonance

A. The steady state solution
B. Complex exponential method for forced oscillations
C. Forced oscillation with damping

V.

Description of Bartons pendulum

A. Effect of varying the resistive term
B. Variations of amplitude A and Phase lag with frequency for different
Q values
C. Transient phenomenon
D. Model of the displacement

5. discussion
6. Reference

3.

Introduction

In physics, resonance is the tendency of a system to oscillate with

greater amplitude at some frequencies than at others. Frequencies at
which the response amplitude is a relative maximum are known as
the system's resonant frequencies or resonance frequencies. At these
frequencies, even small periodic driving forces can produce large
amplitude oscillations, because the system stores vibrational energy .
Resonance occurs when a system is able to store and easily transfer
energy between two or more different storage modes (such as kinetic
energy and potential energy in the case of a pendulum). However,
there are some losses from cycle to cycle, called damping. When
damping is small, the resonant frequency is approximately equal to
the natural frequency of the system, which is a frequency of
unforced vibrations. Some systems have multiple, distinct, resonant
frequencies.

4.

Project activities
I.

II.

Resonance as a phenomenon
Resonance, An object free to vibrate tends to do so at a
specific rate called the object's natural, or resonant, frequency.
(This frequency depends on the size, shape, and composition
of the object.) Such an object will vibrate strongly when it is
subjected to vibrations or regular impulses at a frequency
equal to or very close to its natural frequency. This
phenomenon is called resonance. Through resonance, a
comparatively weak vibration in one object can cause a strong
vibration in another. By analogy, the term resonance is also
used to describe the phenomenon by which an oscillating
electric current is strengthened by an electric signal of a
specific frequency.
An example of resonance is provided by a motor that causes
vibration in a piece of furniture in another part of the same
house. These vibrations occur because the furniture has a
natural frequency equal to the frequency of the vibrations set
up by the motor. The furniture is said to be in resonance with
the motor. Resonance can also be observed in an automobile
when a certain partan ash tray, for examplevibrates when the
car is traveling at a certain speed. The ash tray is in resonance
with the vibrations of the engine at that speed.
Failure of the original Tacoma Narrows Bridge[edit]
Major examples:
The dramatic, rhythmic twisting that resulted in the 1940
collapse of "Galloping Gertie", the original Tacoma Narrows
Bridge, is sometimes characterized in physics textbooks as a
classic example of resonance.
Bartons pendulum
A Barton's Pendulums experiment demonstrates the physical
phenomenon of resonance and the response of pendulums to
vibration at, below and above their resonant frequencies. In its

III.

IV.

simplest construction, approximately 10 different pendulums

are hung from one common string. This system vibrates at the
resonance frequency of a centre pendulum, causing the target
pendulum to swing with the maximum amplitude. The other
pendulums to the side do not move as well, thus demonstrating
how torqueing a pendulum at its resonance frequency is most
efficient.
The driver may be a very heavy pendulum also attached to this
common string; the driver is set to swing and move the whole
system.
Qualitative analysis of Bartons pendulum
a. A periodic driving force will try to impose its own
frequency on the oscillator whose natural frequency is
; thus the actual motion is a kind of superposition of
oscillations at the frequencies and (mathematically
the complete EOM is indeed a simple sum of these two
motions).
b. In any real system, the inevitably-present dissipative
force will cause the free oscillations to die out; the initial
stage in which two types of motion are both prominent is
called transient.
c. Around = a large response (amplitude) of the system
will be obtained; this is called resonance.

Mathematical Description

Consider a physical oscillator subjected to periodic driving force

The EOM is then

With a natural frequency of

The steady state solution:

We will first analyze the steady state solution and then the transient effect.
To obtain the steady state solution we set
( )
That is we assume that the motion is harmonic, of the same frequency and
phase as the driving force and the natural oscillations of the system are
absent. We get

There is a better way to describe the solution of the problem

( )

Where the amplitude A is positive

And the phase is

for
for
The seemingly unphysical jump in phase at the point of resonance =
represents a mathematically limiting case of systems with non zero
damping.

To see the significance of driving an oscillator at resonance, consider the

three pendulum which depict a (nearly) undamped pendulum of certain
length l cm (i.e. a natural frequency of ). For all three cases, the forcing
is done by moving the suspension point back and forth, but with different
frequencies. The 1st has a driving frequency of half the natural frequency,

the 2nd has one of twice the natural frequency and the 3rd is at resonance,
namely, the driving and natural frequencies are identical. We could see
that the 3rd pendulums performance is pronounced.
To illustrate this still further, the three pendulum, instead of driving the
suspension point continuously, we give it a "kick", a single oscillation that
returns it to its original position. Again, the response at resonance is the
most pronounced
Complex exponential method for forced oscillations
1. EOM

2. The driving force

(
3. EOM (with

( )

The solution :
(
(

The equation has to be satisfied for both the real and imaginary
parts:
(

and

From these equations we get the final expressions for the amplitude
and phase:

|
for

Forced oscilation with damping

The EOM is obtained by adding both the damping and the driving force to
Hookes law:

where

and

by solving using complex exponential method as done for above case we

obtain the expression:
( )

)
( )

THE BARTONS PENDULUM

Bartons pendulum in which several pendula of differing lengths are all
driven by an oscillation of the same frequency.
We have arrived at the mathematical explanation of the pendulum
including consideration of damping. Several pendula of differing lengths
are all driven by and oscillation of the same frequency. Here in the case of
the bartons pendulum it the control pendulum as shown in the figure.

Effect of varying the resistive term

Recall that the quality factor
The larger the value of Q, the less the dessipative effect and the greater
number of cycles of free oscillations for a given decrease of amplitude:
We uses the Q factor
usually
is used as a variable instead of using . But we uses itself
as a matter of convenience.
( )
(

)
( )

How damping effects the oscillation?

Consider three examples using different damping state. 1st one is at a

underdamping state (say Q=2), 2nd one is overdamped (say Q=2/5) and the
third one at critical damping (Q=1/2). In the case of 1st and 2nd pendulum it
will slightly overshoot its initial position, whereas in the critically damped
case, it gradually approaches the vertical without overshooting. This is
why the indicator needle of instruments like voltmeter and ammeter are
critically damped, so that they quickly approach a final reading rather than
wobble about it.
Variations of amplitude A and Phase lag with frequency for
different Q values:
A passes through a maximum for all
(

)
(

Where

is obtained in the limit

Most of the change in takes place over a range of frequencies of

(

) and

) i.e. within a band of width

centered at

Transient phenomena
Transient phenomena occur in the driven oscillator with damping in the
time between when the driving force on (at t=0) and before the steady state
vibrations are established.
They are characterized by the presence of both the natural vibrations of a
system and the driving vibrations, so the system vibrates at two, generally
different, frequencies. On the other hand, the steady state vibrates only at
the driving frequency with no natural vibrations present.

Model of the displacement

Consider the system, which was rest up to t=0. At time t=0, the driving
force is turned on and the motion is thereafter governed by the EOM with
x is the displacement

This equation may not be easy to explain the displacement precisely at the
initial condition. We break the equation into various case and use
superposition method and then tailor the equation to fit the initial
conditons ( at t=0, x=0 and

). Thus we obtain:
(

This is a typical example of beats.

In the case of damping we obtains the equation:
(

Where the B and are obtained by fitting the solution to initial condition
and (

( )

( )

5.

Discussion

Resonance has several applications in the modern age.

Most acoustic instruments use resonators, such as the strings and

body of a violin, the length of tube in a flute, and the shape of, and
tension on, a drum membrane. Many clocks keep time by
mechanical resonance in a balance wheel, pendulum or quartz
crystal. There is also carbon resonance, nuclear resonance, atomic
fingerprints, resonance in an electric circuit etc. In the human body,
resonance of a stiff structural element, called the basilar membrane
within the cochlea of the inner ear allows hair cells on the membrane
to detect sound. Resonance can be used as a filter to pick out a
specific frequency from a complex set of frequencies.
However, it has also proven to be a thorn to mankind as several
structures chiefly bridges have collapsed. Buildings in seismic zones
are often constructed to take into account the oscillating frequencies
of expected ground motion. In addition, engineers designing objects
having engines must ensure that the mechanical resonant frequencies
of the component parts do not match driving vibrational frequencies
of the motors or other strongly oscillating parts.

6.

Bibliography
Publications of Institute for Theoretical Physics, University
Heidelberg.
Publications of Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Materials of National Program on Technology Enhanced
Learning.
Theory of Machines by S S Rattan .