Past exam of the physics course of the year 1 of the natural sciences course of the University of Cambridge / 2012 / Paper 1 / Section C / C11 / b / Solution

For free parallel RLC voltage decay, measure $V=V_A-V_B$ and branch currents from A to B. ThenThere is no external current, so Kirchhoff's current law gives $I_C+I_R+I_L=0$. Differentiating yieldsFor $V\propto e^{st}$ the characteristic equation is $C{s}^2+s/R+1/L=0$. Its underdamped roots giveThe supplied inequality makes $\omega$ real. A real physical voltage has the general form $V=A{e}^{-\gamma t}\cos (\omega t+\varphi )$, the real part of the printed complex expression. A general complex-valued solution uses both roots, $e^{-\gamma t}(C_{+}{e}^{i\omega t}+C_{-}{e}^{-i\omega t})$. The inductor's initial current is fixed consistently by the undifferentiated current balance; it is not an arbitrary additional voltage-mode constant.