ME 3263 Introduction to Sensors and Data Analysis (Fall 2018)
Lab #3 Measuring Natural Frequencies
What are natural frequencies
In free vibration (i.e., no external forcing), structural components oscillate at specified frequencies or combinations of frequencies. Since these vibrations are unforced, the associated frequencies are referred to as natural frequencies; it's how the system vibrates if left to behave on its own. In contrast, driven linear systems vibrate at the driving frequency. An amplification of the response (called resonance) occurs when the driving frequency coincides with one of the natural frequencies. In short, the system is driven at a frequency at which it likes to vibrate. Large amplitude oscillations are the result. So it is important to know what the natural frequencies are a priori so you can avoid driving the system into resonance.