Question

Critical damping is a function of

• A. mass and stiffness
• B. mass and damping coefficient
• C. mass and natural frequency
• D. damping coefficient and natural frequency

Hint:

Critical damping ensures fastest return to equilibrium without oscillations.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding critical damping.
Critical damping is the minimum amount of damping required for a system to return to its equilibrium position without oscillation in the shortest possible time.
Step 2: Expression for critical damping.
For a single degree of freedom system, the critical damping coefficient \( c_c \) is given by: \[ c_c = 2\sqrt{km} \] where \( m \) is the mass of the system and \( k \) is the stiffness.
Step 3: Identifying dependent parameters.
From the expression, it is clear that critical damping depends only on mass and stiffness of the system.
Step 4: Conclusion.
Hence, critical damping is a function of mass and stiffness.