Technological progress is carried out through the study of physical phenomena, discoveries in the quantum field and other fields. At the same time, new devices and devices are invented, through which it is possible to conduct various studies and explain the phenomena of the microworld. One of these mechanisms is the harmonic oscillator, the principle of which was known even by representatives of ancient civilizations.
The device and its types
A harmonic oscillator is a mechanical system in motion, which is described by a linear differential equation with coefficients of constant value. The simplest examples of such devices are a weight on a spring, a pendulum, acoustic systems, the movement of molecular particles, etc.
The following types of this device can be conditionally distinguished:
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Simple harmonic oscillator - herethe system, when removed from a rest position, is under the action of a force F, which can be expressed by the formula F=-kx, where k is the stiffness coefficient of this system, x is the displacement. In this case, F is the only component that affects the oscillations.
- Linear harmonic oscillator - here the movement occurs in one plane along a straight path. This system is also called one-dimensional, oscillations are performed under the action of a force of a quasi-elastic nature.
- Damped model - here the system is also affected by the friction force, which is directed against the movement and acts in proportion to the speed of this oscillation. In this case, the damping process is usually characterized by a parameter that has no dimension and is called the quality factor. This value is a property of the system that determines the ratio of the energy reserve to its losses in one period of oscillation.
Using the device
This device is used in various fields, mainly to study the nature of oscillatory systems. The quantum harmonic oscillator is used to study the behavior of photon elements. The results of experiments can be used in various fields. So, physicists from the American Institute found that beryllium atoms, located at fairly large distances from each other, can interact at the quantum level. At the same time, the behavior of these particles is similar to bodies (metal balls) in the macrocosm, moving in a forward-return order, similar to a harmonic oscillator. ionsberyllium, despite physically large distances, exchanged the smallest units of energy (quanta). This discovery makes it possible to significantly advance IT technologies, and also provides a new solution in the production of computer equipment and electronics.
The harmonic oscillator is used in the evaluation of musical works. This method is called spectroscopic examination. At the same time, it was found that the most stable system is a composition of four musicians (a quartet). And modern works are mostly anharmonic.