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🌀 Damped Harmonic Oscillator: Under, Critical, Over

Interactive 3D mass-spring-damper where adjusting the damping coefficient shifts the displacement curve between underdamped oscillation, critical damping and overdamped return to rest.

Physics & Mechanics3DModerate60 FPS

A mass suspended on a spring and a dashpot damper is pulled down and released. Adjust the damping coefficient to watch the same system flip between underdamped ringing, critical damping, and an overdamped creep back to rest.

🔬 What It Demonstrates

The damping ratio ζ = c / (2√(km)) alone decides the regime: ζ < 1 oscillates, ζ ≈ 1 returns fastest without overshoot, and ζ > 1 creeps back slowly.

🎮 How to Use

Set mass, stiffness, damping and the starting displacement, then watch the 3D rig and the live x(t) trace respond. Use "Release from rest" to restart the motion.

💡 Did You Know?

Car suspensions are engineered close to critical damping — enough to stop bouncing quickly after a bump, without making the ride harsh.

⚙ Under the hood

Interactive 3D mass-spring-damper where sliding the damping coefficient shows the transition between underdamped, critically damped and overdamped motion.

damped-oscillatorharmonic-motioncritical-dampingspring-mass-systemsclassical-mechanicsphysics

3D · Three.js / WebGL renderer · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install