Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematical-methods-i-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2016-resit/11/iii/solution

The moving equilibrium produces a forced harmonic oscillator:
A particular solution is , where . The denominator equals , so it cannot vanish for real under the given underdamping condition. Imposing both initial conditions gives
For , , so the entire oscillatory term vanishes:
The body is tracking an exponentially moving equilibrium without oscillation. There is no spring extension in this special motion: linear drag alone supplies . An underdamped homogeneous equation does not require every forced solution to contain an oscillatory transient.
Figure 1.
Free damped oscillations and exact tracking of an exponentially moving equilibrium
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