Use the text book or internet to get a

definition for “free and forced vibrations”

Now use a ruler or hack saw blade

connected to the desk leg, with a paint
brush secured to one end, to draw a trace
of a free vibration as the ruler oscillates.
Slowly pull the paper along underneath the
ruler.
Your sheet should
look like this when Now plot your
you are done graph using
readings taken
from your
plot/trace

Plot a graph of Amplitude against time(number of

waves) - the idea being that we can show the
exponential decay of the wave amplitude as time
goes on.
S.H.M. using angle sensor and easy sense I ns ight Graph
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FRI: 09:14 T im e (s ec onds )
 I nsight Graph
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Free vibrations decaying over a

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long period of time.

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Work through proving that the decay is exponential

- To do this Plot log(amplitude) vs log(Time). If
true this is a straight line!
Now make some notes to explain plotting graphs
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using logs and the “POWER LAW”.

FRI: 09:24 T im e (seconds)
 Investigating Forced
Vibrations

You are going to look at linked pendula, concentrating

on the transfer of energy and the phase difference
between the swinging motion of the system.
Try varying the length of the pendula, one at a time
and observe how the effects differ - can you explain
your observations?
You should write up in the lesson what is happening .
 Make
observations on
the transfer of
energy and the
phase
difference
between the two
pendula.

Vary the length of the pendula, one at a time and

observe how the effects differ - can you explain your
observations?
Now observe this system and try to explain the
effects you are seeing!

Pendula
mounted on
string to assist
energy
transfer!
Now investigate the previous experiment but this time
recording the measurement for the maximum amplitude
of oscillation for the “driven” pendulum and the
frequency of the “driver” by changing the length of
the driver.

Now plot a graph,

using your results, of
Driven Amplitude
against Driver
Frequency
Investigating Forced
Vibrations in springs

Vibrator

Vibrator moves up and down

causing the spring to oscillate.
Observe what happens as the
driving frequency changes
 Investigating Forced
Vibrations in springs
Using the same idea as for the pendulum you should now investigate
the relationship between driver frequency and driven amplitude (keep
400 g on the driven)for a pair of oscillating springs hung from a
loosely suspended ruler.
Why is the rule loosely suspended?????????

Vary mass
to change
frequency

Plot the same graphs as for

the pendulum
 Resonance
If you remember seeing this
experiment you should have seen the
two pendula with identical lengths
oscillating the most.

In this second experiment it was obvious when

resonance occurred. The mass vibrated such that
it was eventually out of control when the driving
frequency of the oscillator was at the natural
frequency of the system. This gives us our
definition of resonance……
Resonance: occurs when the driving frequency is
equal to the natural frequency of the system it is
forcing to vibrate.

In this case the amplitude of

oscillations will build up, to , until
the system cannot cope and may fall
apart e.g Tacoma narrows!!
 Amplitude of
vibrations

In this case we
can see the
amplitude
increases rapidly
as the frequency
of the driver is
the same as that
of the driven
system Natural Driving
frequency fo Frequency
 The amplitude of any natural vibration will
gradually decrease.

This process is called DAMPING.

For example, the amplitude of vibration of a

simple pendulum decreases because of air
resistance and friction at the support. This is
an example of natural damping. Many systems
are artificially damped to cut down unwanted
vibration - the shock absorbers on a car serve
this purpose.

Note that the frequency of the oscillation does

not change throughout the damping process.
 Effects of damping I nsight Graph
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Free vibrations decaying over a

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FRI: 09:24 T im e (seconds)

 Increasing levels of
damping
Amplitude of vibrations

fo Driving Frequency
There are 3 basic damping conditions you need to be
aware of:

Overdamped - so much damping is applied that the

system takes a great deal of time to reach the
equilibrium position.

Underdamped - a small amount of damping which means that the

system take a long time to settle. This would be the case in a
simple pendulum where the only damping is supplied by the
friction in the system due to air resistance and the bearings.

Critically damped - the displacement returns to the equilibrium

position within a quarter of a cycle without going past the
equilibrium position - eg a good car shock absorber.
These effects can be seen to great effect in the
following graph.

Under-damped oscillations
continue too long
Critically Damped -
returns to normal
quickly

Equilibrium
position

Over-damped - slowly gets back

to normal position

Time
SOME CONSEQUENCES OF RESONANCE

• Soldiers need to break step when crossing bridges. (Failure to

do so caused the loss of over two hundred French
infantrymen in 1850.)
• Singers can shatter wine glasses by forcing them to vibrate
at their natural frequencies.
• A diver on a springboard builds up the amplitude of oscillation
of the board by `bouncing' on it at its natural frequency.
• If a loose part in a car rattles when the car is travelling at a
certain speed, it is likely that a resonant vibration is
occurring.
• A column of air can be made to resonate to a particular note.
• Electrical resonance is made use of to tune radio circuits.
• Resonant vibrations of quartz crystals are used to control
clocks and watches.
• Tacoma Narrows bridge collapse