Damped Spring

How this simulation works

Use the Spring Constant slider to set the stiffness of the spring (N/m), the Mass slider to set the object weight (kg), and the Damping slider to control how much energy the dashpot absorbs each cycle. The Initial Displacement slider sets how far the mass is pulled from rest before release. Press Start to release the mass and observe the motion. Set damping low for oscillation (ζ < 1), near the critical value for the fastest return without overshoot (ζ = 1), or above it for a slow exponential return (ζ > 1). Press Pause to freeze the motion and Reset to start again.