Resonance

Resonance Screenshot
  • Resonance
  • Harmonic Motion
  • Oscillator

Topics

  • Resonance
  • Harmonic Motion
  • Oscillator

Description

For advanced undergraduate students: Observe resonance in a collection of driven, damped harmonic oscillators. Vary the driving frequency and amplitude, the damping constant, and the mass and spring constant of each resonator. Notice the long-lived transients when damping is small, and observe the phase change for resonators above and below resonance.

Sample Learning Goals

  • Explain the conditions required for resonance.
  • Identify/explain the variables that affect the natural frequency of a mass-spring system.
  • Explain the distinction between the driving frequency and natural frequency of a resonator.
  • Explain the distinction between transient and steady-state behavior in a driven system.
  • Identify which variables affect the duration of the transient behavior.
  • Recognize the phase relationship between the driving frequency and the natural frequency, especially how the phase is different above and below resonance.
  • Give examples the application of real-world systems to which the understanding of resonance should be applied and explain why.
Version 1.01

Teacher Tips

Download teacher tips PDF Overview of sim controls, model simplifications, and insights into student thinking ( PDF ).

Teacher-Submitted Activities

Concept questions for Physics using PhET (Inquiry Based) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein UG-Intro
HS
MC Physics
Algebra-based Physics Semester one lessons, clicker questions, and schedule in pdf (Inquiry Based) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein HS
UG-Intro
Demo
Lab
HW
Physics
Wave unit (Inquiry Based) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein HS
UG-Intro
Lab
Demo
Physics
Wave clicker questions (Inquiry Based) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein UG-Intro
HS
CQs Physics
Resonance-Introduction to Natural Frequency A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein, Mike Dubson HS
UG-Intro
CQs
Lab
HW
Physics
Mathematics
Resonance: Upper-division college A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Mike Dubson, Trish Loeblein UG-Adv CQs
How do PhET simulations fit in my middle school program? This contribution was designed by PhET. Sarah Borenstein MS Other Earth Science
Chemistry
Biology
Physics
Mapping of PhET and IBDP Physics Jaya Ramchandani HS Other Physics
MS and HS TEK to Sim Alignment Elyse Zimmer MS
HS
Other Physics
Biology
Chemistry
Activity sheet_Resonance Rabin Rabe UG-Intro Guided Physics
Waves and sound(in dutch golven en trillingen) Corné de Boer HS Demo
Moteur en PhET Bernard Lacour Other Lab Physics

Language Download or Run Tips
Arabic (Saudi Arabia) All العربية (السعودية) Run now الرنين الميكانيكي
Basque All Euskara Run now Erresonantzia
Belarusian All беларускі Run now Рэзананс
Bosnian All Bosanski Run now Rezonanca
Chinese (Simplified) All 中文 (中国) Run now 共振
Chinese (Traditional) All 中文 (台灣) Run now 共振
Czech All čeština Run now Resonance
Danish All Dansk Run now Resonans
Dutch All Nederlands Run now Resonantie
French All français Run now Résonance
German All Deutsch Run now Resonanz
Greek All Ελληνικά Run now Συντονισμός
Hebrew All עברית Run now תהודה
Hungarian All magyar Run now Rezonancia
Indonesian All Bahasa Indonesia Run now Resonansi
Italian All italiano Run now Risonanza
Japanese All 日本語 Run now 共振
Kannada All Kannada Run now ಅನುರಣಿ(ರೇಸೋನನ್ಸ್)
Kazakh All Kazakh Run now Resonance
Korean All 한국어 Run now 공명
Kurdish (Turkey) All Kurdish (Turkey) Run now Dengvedan
Macedonian All македонски Run now Резонанса
Mongolian All Монгол (Монгол) Run now Ресонанс
Persian All فارسی Run now تشديد
Polish All polski Run now Rezonans
Portuguese (Brazil) All português (Brasil) Run now Ressonância
Serbian All Српски Run now Резонанца
Slovak All Slovenčina Run now Rezonancia
Spanish All español Run now Resonancia Download teacher tips PDF
Spanish (Mexico) All español (México) Run now Resonancia Download teacher tips PDF
Spanish (Peru) All español (Perú) Run now Resonancia
Swedish All svenska Run now Resonans
Thai All ไทย Run now การสั่นพ้อง
Turkish All Türkçe Run now Rezonans
Turkmen All Turkmen Run now Rezonans
Vietnamese All Tiếng Việt Run now Cộng hưởng

Windows Macintosh Linux
Microsoft Windows
XP/Vista/7/8.1/10
Macromedia Flash 9 or later
OS X 10.9.5 or later
Macromedia Flash 9 or later
Macromedia Flash 9 or later

Design Team Third-party Libraries Thanks To
  • Michael Dubson (lead design, lead developer)
  • Patricia Loeblein (design)
  • Jonathan Olson (developer)
  • Kathy Perkins (design)
  • Mindy Gratny (interviews)