Hi Prof. Krousgrill,
I have two quick questions.
1) Will the direction of the dashpot force always be in the same direction as the spring force?
2) Is a dash pot a conceptual device that acts to quantify the imperfections of a non-ideal spring, or is it some sort of strut type hydraulic to actually dampen the system?
Thanks :)
Stu
Monday, December 3, 2007
2 Questions...
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Good questions.
1) Let's say x is the coordinate describing the motion of the free end of a dashpot. To get the direction of the dashpot force, envision a positive x_dot and see what is happening with the dashpot. If the dashpot is being extended, then the dashpot will PULL on the outside world. If the dashpot is being compressed, then the dashpot will PUSH on the outside world. (This is analogous to the spring where you envision x to be positive and figure out the spring force.)
2) Either one. It can represent a hydraulic system like a shock absorber on a car, or it can represent inherent damping in a spring. A strut on a car is actually a combination of spring and shock absorber in parallel. Take a look at this How Stuff Works web page to see an automobile strut.
Post a Comment