Damped & forced oscillations, LCR circuits

Consider an LCR circuit with inductance L, capacitance C and resistance R connected

to a battery of EMF E. The equation of motion for the circuit is given by
L

d2 q
q
dq
+ R + = E(t) .
2
dt
dt C

The above equation is analogous to the equation of motion for a forced oscillator with
natural frequency 0 , damping coefficient and driving force F (t):
d2 x
dx
+ 02 x = F (t)/m .
+ 2
2
dt
dt
Thus, the charge on the capacitor q(t) and the current flowing through the circuit I(t) can
be obtained from the solution of the mechanical system upon proper identification of the

parameters such as (R/2L), 0 (1/ LC ) etc.

1. A mass on the end of a spring (with natural frequency ) is released from rest at
position x0 . The experiment is repeated, but now with the system immersed in a
fluid that causes the motion to be overdamped (with damping coefficient ). Find
the ratio of the maximum speed in the former case to that in the latter. What is the
ratio in the limit of strong damping ( >> )? In the limit of critical damping?
2. A particle of mass m is subjected to a force F (t) = f0 ebt , where f0 and b are both
constants. The initial position and speed are both zero. Find x(t).
3. Consider an underdamped oscillator subjected to the driving force:

0 for t < 0
F (t) =
t for t > 0 where = const.
The initial position and speed are both zero. Find x(t).
4. A circuit, with a switch which is in the off position initially, has a capacitor of
capacitance C, an inductor of inductance L connected in a series with a battery of
EMF E and zero internal resistance. The capacitor is initially charged with a charge
q0 and at time t = 0, the switch is turned on. Calculate the charge on the capacitor
as a function of time for t > 0.
5. A series LCR circuit with a battery of EMF V = 2.5 Volts and zero internal resistance
is initially switched off and the capacitor has no charge on it. The value of the circuit
elements are: L = 5 mH, C = 8 F and R = 4 ohms. At time t = 0, the circuit
is switched on. What is the charge on the capacitor at time t > 0? Calculate
approximately the time at which the capacitor will be charged to half its final value.
1

Refs. . Introduction to Classical Mechanics, D. Morin, 2. Elecrticity, Magnetism and Electromagnetic

Theory, S. Mahajan and S Rai Choudhary