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theR
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Homework Statement
The amplitude of a driven harmonic oscillator reaches a value of 20.0 F_0 /m at a resonant frequency of 390 Hz.
What is the Q value of this system?
Since our Professor accidentally gave us the problem set from a different book instead of the one we have, and the one we have makes no mention of Q, the only introduction I have to Q value is a few sentences near the end of class, and it is just confusing me to no end.
Homework Equations
Okay, so as far as I know, Q value is equal to the resonant frequency (w_0) over the width of the resonance. I have several equations relating q to nu (v) and the resonant frequency:
Q = (resonant frequency)/(width of resonance)
Q = (w_0/ v) where v is nu
and
width of resonance at K = Kmax/sqrt(2) = W
The Attempt at a Solution
The main trouble I am having with this problem is trying to figure out how to use the two units given to convert and insert them into the equations I was given. I have assumed that the resonant frequency of 390 Hz was equal to w_0. After this, I have tried several methods to get the final answer:
At first I attempted to insert 390 into w_0 and 20 F_0/m into v and find Q that way.
This resulted in Q = (w_0/v) = 19.5, which was incorrect, and the units are probably off (since Q is unitless)
After this, I tried to use the equation where width = Kmax/sqrt(2). I substituted 20 F_0/m into Kmax and got a width of 14.142 F_0/m. I then substituted this value into the Q equation where: Q = (390 Hz / 14.142 F_0/m) = 27.577, which is incorrect, and again I am pretty sure that my units are off.
After this, I had only two more chances to answer the question so I have just been searching for how to convert the Amplitude given into a width of resonance with no success. Can anybody help me go through the process of converting the two values given into values that I can use in the Q equation?
Thank you to anyone who replies