Sources of Nonlinearities – Lesson 2

Several nonlinear systems are common in our daily lives. If you're reading this, then there is a good chance that you're scrolling on a computer using a mouse. Take a look at it: That simple act of scrolling is a nonlinear phenomenon.

In a fan, high-speed rotations introduce nonlinearity to the fan blades.

It's important to understand what makes a system nonlinear and how it affects the system’s behavior. For instance, selecting the proper materials in designing footwear can reduce the chances of injuries. So understanding the nonlinear response of the material in a shoe is important.

We need to understand what introduces nonlinearities into these systems so we can take appropriate steps in studying them. In this lesson we'll concentrate on learning about different types of nonlinearities and how they make a system's response nonlinear.

Lecture

Alternate video link.

Handout

Here are the accompanying handout slides for this lesson.