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Coupled Oscillations and
Normal Coordinates
We have learned in some detail how a single vibrating system will behave. However, oscillators
rarely exist in complete isolation. We now consider systems of interacting oscillators. This subject
is of general interest because numerous physical systems are well approximated by coupled har-
monic oscillators. Coupled oscillators, in general, are able to transmit their energy to each other
because two oscillators share a common component, capacitance or stiffness, inductance or mass,
or resistance. Resistance coupling inevitably brings energy loss and a rapid decay ...