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Oscillations lab: damping and resonance

Bridges, buildings, cars and musical instruments all vibrate. Find out when vibrations become dangerously large, and how engineers control them.

▶ Start the lab🧠 Questions📄 My report
🌉f₀ = (1/2π)√(k/m)damped and forced oscillations
LevelS5 to S6 (and A Level)
TimeAbout 35 min
You usef₀ = (1/2π)√(k/m), graphs
PriceFree: no account

🎯 Aim

To investigate damped oscillations and the resonance of a forced oscillator.

You will learn to

  • Calculate the natural frequency of a mass–spring system.
  • Describe resonance with an amplitude–frequency graph.
  • Explain the effect of damping.
  • Give useful and harmful examples of resonance.

🧭 What to do

  1. Read the natural frequency f₀.
  2. Move the Driving frequency slowly through f₀ and watch the amplitude.
  3. Change the Damping: compare the resonance curves.
  4. Look at the free oscillation graph for each damping.
  5. Answer the questions with the class data.
  6. Write your conclusion and download your lab report.

🔬 Lab bench

📋 The data

Amplitude of a driven spring at different frequencies.

🧠 Investigate: answer from the data

Type your answer and tap Check. Use 💡 Hint first; open the method only when you are stuck.

📄 My lab report

Your report collects the aim, your data table, the graphs, your answers and your conclusion. It is made on your phone or computer: nothing is sent to anyone.

Check your conclusion

A driven system oscillates with the largest amplitude when the driving frequency equals its natural frequency (resonance). Damping removes energy: free oscillations die away, and the resonance peak becomes lower and broader. Shock absorbers use heavy damping; bridges and buildings are designed to avoid resonance.

➕ Get more from this experiment

📝 Free

Print the worksheet (button above), download the data, and save your report. Teachers can project this page in class.

📦 Premium Lab Pack

1 000 RWF

  • Practical worksheet: resonance with pendulums (Barton’s pendulums)
  • Oscillations problems
  • Teacher guide and answer key
  • Exam-style questions with marking scheme
See the pack

👩‍🏫 For teachers

Use it as a practical when apparatus is missing, as homework, or as a project. Free lesson plans help you plan, teach and assess.

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