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Damped Oscillator Q Factor Calculator

Find Q factor and decay time of a damped oscillator.

Inputs

Results

Q factor100
Damping ratio0.005
Decay time (1/e)0.03183099s

Chart

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How to use the damped oscillator q factor calculator

Find Q factor and decay time of a damped oscillator. Enter resonant frequency, bandwidth (fwhm) in the fields above; the q factor, damping ratio, decay time (1/e) are computed instantly and plotted on the chart so you can see how the answer changes.

Formula

Q factor = f0 / bw
Damping ratio = 1 / (2 Γ— [Q factor])
Decay time (1/e) (s) = 1 / (Ο€ Γ— bw)

Variables

  • f0 β€” Resonant frequency (Hz)
  • bw β€” Bandwidth (FWHM) (Hz)

Worked example

With resonant frequency = 1000 Hz, bandwidth (fwhm) = 10 Hz, the calculator gives q factor β‰ˆ 100; damping ratio β‰ˆ 0.005; decay time (1/e) β‰ˆ 0.03183099 s.

Frequently asked questions

What is the formula for the damped oscillator q factor calculation?

Q factor = f0 / bw. Damping ratio = 1 / (2 Γ— [Q factor]). Decay time (1/e) (s) = 1 / (Ο€ Γ— bw). Here f0 is resonant frequency (Hz), bw is bandwidth (fwhm) (Hz).

What inputs do I need for the damped oscillator q factor calculator?

You need resonant frequency in Hz, bandwidth (fwhm) in Hz. Each field is pre-filled with a typical example so you can see how the result responds as you edit the numbers.

How do I use this calculator?

Type values into the input fields. Results and the chart update instantly. Use Reset to restore the example values, Copy results to paste them elsewhere, or Share to copy a link that preserves your inputs.

Is the result exact?

Calculations use standard formulas and double-precision arithmetic, then display about seven significant figures. Real-world measurements carry uncertainty, so treat results as estimates unless your inputs are exact.

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