Past exam of the physics 2 paper of the University of Oxford / 2015 / 6

Let $Q(t)$ denote the electric charge on the initially positive capacitor plate and define the discharge electric current by $I=-\dot{Q}$. Kirchhoff's voltage law for the series RLC circuit gives the damped harmonic oscillator equationThe initial conditions are $Q(0)=Q_0$ and $\dot{Q}(0)=0$: the open switch initially prevents electric current, and finite inductance prevents an instantaneous jump in it. Put $\gamma =R/(2L)$ and ${\omega }_0^2=1/(LC)$. The two characteristic roots are $s=-\gamma \pm \sqrt{{\gamma }^2-{\omega }_0^2}$. An oscillatory electric current requires a nonzero imaginary part, henceFor positive $L,C$ and nonnegative $R$, this is the underdamped regime. The initial conditions giveAt equality there is critical damping, and above it there is an overdamped response, with no repeated changes of sign of the discharge electric current. A nonzero initial electric charge is understood; if $Q_0=0$, the stated initial conditions give no electric current at all.