Damping is a phenomenon of free oscillation or also of forced oscillation?

1 Answer
Aug 14, 2018

Damping is the same as friction. It is an element of any motion.

If we have a free oscillation, it is clear that damping will lead to the object eventually stopping (or at least moving so little it is always some tiny distance from a midpoint).

With forced oscillation, the friction will change the motion but it can't fully stop the motion since we are always pumping energy into the system.