Damped Oscillation Calculator
Analyze damped harmonic oscillators. Calculate position, velocity, and energy decay for underdamped, critically damped, and overdamped systems.
System Parameters
Critical damping: 20.0000 kg/s
Damping Type
Underdamped
Damping ratio (ζ) = 0.1000
Energy Decay:
Initial Energy
12.500000 J
Current Energy
1.691691 J
What is Damped Oscillation?
Damped oscillation occurs when a system experiences a resistive force (such as friction or air resistance) that dissipates energy over time. The amplitude of oscillation decreases exponentially. Depending on the damping strength, the system can be underdamped (oscillates with decreasing amplitude), critically damped (returns to equilibrium fastest without oscillating), or overdamped (returns slowly without oscillating).
Damping Types
Underdamped (ζ < 1)
System oscillates with exponentially decreasing amplitude
Critically Damped (ζ = 1)
Fastest return to equilibrium without oscillation
Overdamped (ζ > 1)
Slow return to equilibrium, no oscillation