SIMPLE MECHANICAL FORCED DAMPED OSCILLATOR WITH ELECTRONIC OUTPUT

An inverted meter movement with weighted pointer is used as an electro magnetically driven damped oscillator. The meter coil serves as both t he driving and sensing transducer and electronic output of displacemen t, velocity and forcing function allow amplitude and phase relationshi ps to be displayed using an oscilloscope. Resonance phenomena are easi ly observed over a range of Qs adjustable by simple mechanical means. Step and impulse responses, excited either mechanically or electronica lly, can be digitized and recorded with appropriate computer interfaci ng. The apparatus is low cost and is easily replicated for hands-on ex periments in larger classes.