Spring-Damper Vibration & Resonance
Pull a mass on a spring and damper, compare damping types and shake the base to find resonance.
Drag the mass up or down and let go. Change the damper to see under-damped, critically damped and over-damped motion, or shake the base to find resonance.
About the Spring-Damper Vibration & Resonance
Free spring-damper vibration & resonance. Pull a mass on a spring and damper, compare damping types and shake the base to find resonance. Drag, change the sliders and see the result live. No sign-up, works on phone and computer. Built for engineering, the spring-damper vibration & resonance runs instantly in your browser: change a setting or drag an object and the result updates at once, so you learn by trying things out rather than only reading about them.
Pull a mass on a spring and damper, compare damping types and shake the base to find resonance. Use it to explore engineering ideas at your own pace, then check what you found against the key ideas further down this page.
How to use the Spring-Damper Vibration & Resonance
- Use the controls to change Spring stiffness k, Damping c, Mass, Base shaking, Shake frequency. The simulation reacts instantly.
- Pick an option such as Off, On to switch modes or load an example.
- Press "Reset" to start, reset or change what is happening.
- Where you see a glowing handle, object, weight or atom, drag it with your mouse or finger. Everything responds in real time.
- Watch the readouts and graphs update as you experiment, and compare what you see with the key ideas below.
Things to try
- Increase damping until the oscillation stops.
- Turn on base shaking at the natural frequency.
- Try a heavier mass and see the frequency drop.
Key ideas you can learn
- Damping removes energy from the oscillation.
- Under-damped systems overshoot; critically damped return fastest.
- Natural frequency = ½π √(k/m).
- Shaking at the natural frequency gives a large resonance.
Where this is used in the real world
Car suspensions, building earthquake dampers, door closers and bridge design all use spring-damper systems.
Who is this simulation for?
Engineering and technology students, makers, robotics clubs and teachers of design and technology. It gives a hands-on feel for how machines behave before you build a real one.
For teachers: project it on the board, let students predict what will happen, then run it together. For students: change one thing at a time and write down what changes.
Frequently asked questions
What is critical damping?
The smallest damping that stops the system from oscillating; it returns to rest fastest.
What is resonance?
A large response that happens when the driving frequency matches the natural frequency.
Is the Spring-Damper Vibration & Resonance free to use?
Yes. It is completely free, with no signup, no download and no ads inside the simulation. It runs in your web browser.
Does the Spring-Damper Vibration & Resonance work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. It uses touch as well as the mouse, so you can drag objects with your finger. A larger screen makes the controls easier to see.