DP Physics (last assessment 2024)
Syllabus sections »

B.4 – Forced vibrations and resonance (HL only)

Description

Nature of science:

Risk assessment: The ideas of resonance and forced oscillation have application in many areas of engineering ranging from electrical oscillation to the safe design of civil structures. In large-scale civil structures, modelling all possible effects is essential before construction. (4.8)

Understandings:

  • Natural frequency of vibration
  • Q-factor and damping
  • Periodic stimulus and the driving frequency
  • Resonance

Applications and skills:

  • Qualitatively and quantitatively describing examples of under-, over- and critically-damped oscillations
  • Graphically describing the variation of the amplitude of vibration with driving frequency of an object close to its natural frequency of vibration
  • Describing the phase relationship between driving frequency and forced oscillations
  • Solving problems involving Q factor
  • Describing the useful and destructive effects of resonance

Guidance:

  • Only amplitude resonance is required

Data booklet reference:

 

International-mindedness:

  • Communication through radio and television signals is based on resonance of the broadcast signals

Utilization:

  • Science and technology meet head-on when the real behaviour of damped oscillating systems is modelled

Aims:

  • Aim 6: experiments could include (but are not limited to): observation of sand on a vibrating surface of varying frequencies; investigation of the effect of increasing damping on an oscillating system, such as a tuning fork; observing the use of a driving frequency on forced oscillations
  • Aim 7: to investigate the use of resonance in electrical circuits, atoms/molecules, or with radio/television communications is best achieved through software modelling examples

Directly related questions

Sub sections and their related questions

None