Q Factor and Decay Rate
The factors Q, damping ratio ζ, and exponential decay rate α are related such that
When a second-order system has (that is, when the system is underdamped), it has two complex conjugate poles that each have a real part of ; that is, the decay rate parameter represents the rate of exponential decay of the oscillations. A lower damping ratio implies a lower decay rate, and so very underdamped systems oscillate for long times. For example, a high quality tuning fork, which has a very low damping ratio, has an oscillation that lasts a long time, decaying very slowly after being struck by a hammer.
Read more about this topic: Damping Ratio
Famous quotes containing the words factor, decay and/or rate:
“Children of the middle years do not do their learning unaffected by attendant feelings of interest, boredom, success, failure, chagrin, joy, humiliation, pleasure, distress and delight. They are whole children responding in a total way, and what they feel is a constant factor that can be constructive or destructive in any learning situation.”
—Dorothy H. Cohen (20th century)
“The constant abrasion and decay of our lives makes the soil of our future growth.”
—Henry David Thoreau (18171862)
“All of us failed to match our dreams of perfection. So I rate us on the basis of our splendid failure to do the impossible.”
—William Faulkner (18971962)