SHM Energy and Damping

Overview

This lesson completes the SHM model by adding energy changes and real-world damping. You explain how energy shifts during an ideal oscillation, then describe what changes when resistive forces remove energy from the system.

What You Need to Know

• In ideal SHM, kinetic energy and potential energy interchange while total energy stays constant.
• Kinetic energy is greatest at equilibrium; potential energy is greatest at maximum displacement.
• Damping is caused by resistive forces that remove energy from the oscillating system.
• Resonance occurs when a system is forced at its natural frequency and reaches maximum amplitude.

How to Work Through It

1. Match positions in the oscillation to kinetic energy, potential energy, speed, and acceleration.
2. Practise using the total energy equation with clear identification of amplitude.
3. Sketch and compare light, critical, and heavy damping graphs.
4. Explain resonance examples using driving frequency, natural frequency, and amplitude.

Check Your Understanding

• Where is the total energy stored when displacement is maximum?
• What is the difference between light damping and critical damping?
• Why does resonance produce a large amplitude?

Common Mistakes

• Saying energy is lost in ideal SHM instead of transferred between kinetic and potential stores.
• Drawing damping graphs with a changing period when only the amplitude should decrease.
• Describing resonance as any vibration rather than forced oscillation at natural frequency.

Next Steps

• Use the revision lesson to connect circular motion equations, SHM equations, and graph skills.
• Revisit damping and resonance examples if the vocabulary still feels imprecise.