Question

Give an example of a damped harmonic oscillator. (They are more common than undamped or simple harmonic oscillators.)

Short answer

A hanging simple pendulum in the air is an example of a damped harmonic oscillator.

Step-by-step solution

Definition of Damped harmonic oscillator

Damped harmonic oscillators are vibrating systems in which the amplitude of vibration decrements over a specific period of time.

The oscillations fade as the energy of the system is dissipated continuously.

Example of the damped harmonic oscillator

A hanging simple pendulum in the air is an example of a damped harmonic oscillator. As you release the pendulum from a certain amplitude, it will oscillate for a certain time and eventually stop. The amplitude of the pendulum decreases slowly because of the resistance caused by air molecules.