Why is absolutely pure simple harmonic motion not possible?

Vedclass pdf generator app on play store
Vedclass iOS app on app store
(N/A) Absolutely pure simple harmonic motion $(SHM)$ is not possible in reality because it requires the absence of all dissipative forces,such as friction,air resistance,and viscosity.
In any physical system,these dissipative forces are always present,which cause the energy of the oscillating system to dissipate over time.
This leads to damping,where the amplitude of the oscillation gradually decreases,eventually bringing the system to rest.
Therefore,$SHM$ is an idealization,while real-world systems exhibit damped harmonic motion.

Explore More

Similar Questions

The amplitude of vibration of a particle is given by $a_m = \frac{a_0}{a\omega^2 - b\omega + c}$,where $a_0, a, b,$ and $c$ are positive constants. The condition for a single resonant frequency is:

The amplitudes of a damped harmonic oscillator after $2 \ s$ and $4 \ s$ are $A_1$ and $A_2$ respectively. If the initial amplitude of the oscillator is $A_0$,then

The amplitude of a mass-spring system,which is executing simple harmonic motion,decreases with time. If mass $m = 500 \, g$,and the decay constant $b = 20 \, g/s$,then how much time $t$ (in seconds) is required for the amplitude of the system to drop to half of its initial value? (Given $\ln 2 = 0.693$)

Obtain the differential equation of forced oscillation.

$A$ damped harmonic oscillator has a frequency of $5$ oscillations per second. The amplitude drops to half its value for every $10$ oscillations. The time it will take to drop to $\frac{1}{1000}$ of the original amplitude is close to .... $s$

Vedclass Products

For Students

Vedclass Test Series

Mock tests in real JEE/NEET style with performance analysis. 5-day free trial.

Start Free Trial
For Teachers

Exam Paper Generator

Generate Set A/B/C/D exam papers from 7.5L+ questions in 2 minutes. 3 chapters free.

Try Free
For Institutes

Online Exam Module

Live online exams with unlimited students, 360° analytics & white-label branding.

See Demo