Dashpot

A dashpot, also known as a damper , is a mechanical device that resists motion via viscous damping. The resulting force is proportional to the velocity, but acts in the opposite direction, slowing the motion and absorbing energy. Kinetic energy is converted to heat. It is commonly used in conjunction with a spring.

A dashpot, also known as a damper , is a mechanical device that resists motion via viscous damping. The resulting force is proportional to the velocity, but acts in the opposite direction, slowing the motion and absorbing energy. Kinetic energy is converted to heat. It is commonly used in conjunction with a spring. F = - cv This permits convenient analysis of systems such as harmonic oscillators. However, the behavior of real-world dashpots is frequently non-linear, meaning that the force is proportional to the velocity raised to some exponent α, which can vary between 0.2 and 2.0. F = - cv^\alpha Different exponents are better suited for different applications, but exponents other than 1 must be analyzed with numeric methods instead of calculus. Systems that use non-linear dampers (any exponent other than 1) are much more time-consuming to design and analyze than linear dampers. ==Viscoelasticity== Dashpots are used as models of materials that exhibit viscoelastic behavior, such as muscle tissue. Maxwell and Kelvin–Voigt models of viscoelasticity use springs and dashpots in series and parallel circuits respectively. Models containing dashpots add a viscous, time-dependent element to the behavior of solids, allowing complex behaviors like creep and stress relaxation to be modeled. ==References== ==External links==

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