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Physics 8.03 Vibrations and Waves

This document provides a 3-step recipe for analyzing a driven coupled oscillator system: 1) Find the normal modes of oscillation by solving the homogeneous coupled differential equations. 2) Introduce a harmonic external driving force, making one of the differential equations inhomogeneous. 3) Solve the inhomogeneous equations using Cramer's rule to determine the amplitudes of each normal mode oscillation under the influence of the driving force.

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Sabeeh Hasnain
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53 views

Physics 8.03 Vibrations and Waves

This document provides a 3-step recipe for analyzing a driven coupled oscillator system: 1) Find the normal modes of oscillation by solving the homogeneous coupled differential equations. 2) Introduce a harmonic external driving force, making one of the differential equations inhomogeneous. 3) Solve the inhomogeneous equations using Cramer's rule to determine the amplitudes of each normal mode oscillation under the influence of the driving force.

Uploaded by

Sabeeh Hasnain
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Physics 8.

03
Vibrations and Waves
Lecture 6
Driven Coupled Oscillators

Last time: Coupled oscillators


Normal modes of oscillation
Harmonic motion at fixed (eigen)frequencies
Amplitude ratios for each mode (constant)

Any old motion


All allowed motions are a superposition of all the
normal modes

External driving force


Introduce harmonic external driving force in a
coupled oscillator system
N oscillators (N 1)

A Recipe
Find forces acting on each particle
Coupled differential equations
No driving force homogeneous
Driving force at least one eqn. is inhomogenous

Always solve homogeneous equation first


Trial solution xi(t) = Ci cos( t )
C1
Coupled (simultaneous)
C2
C
=
D
algebraic equations
:
CN

The Recipe
Normal modes
Frequencies (eigenvalues): i are the roots of
calculate by solving for when det( ) = 0
Ratios of amplitudes: Plug = i back into

Any other motion superposition of all


normal modes
Now turn on the harmonic driving force
Solve inhomogenous set using Cramers rule
For each Ci replace the i-th column of

with D

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