Damping refers to the process of reducing or dissipating the energy of oscillations or vibrations in a system, typically through the use of friction or resistance.
Imagine swinging on a swing set. When someone pushes you, you start swinging back and forth. If there is no damping, you will keep swinging for a long time. But if there is damping, like someone holding onto your swing chains to slow you down, your swings will gradually decrease until you come to a stop.
Oscillation: The repetitive back-and-forth motion of an object around its equilibrium position.
Frictional Damping: A type of damping that occurs when two surfaces rub against each other and convert mechanical energy into thermal energy.
Air Resistance: A type of damping that occurs when an object moves through air and experiences resistance due to the collision between air molecules and the object's surface.
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