A damped oscillator is a system that experiences oscillations that gradually decrease in amplitude over time due to the presence of a damping force. This force, often caused by friction or resistance, removes energy from the system, leading to a gradual reduction in the motion of the oscillator. Common examples include a swinging pendulum or a mass on a spring that loses energy to air resistance or internal friction. Damped oscillators can be classified into three types: underdamped, critically damped, and overdamped. In an underdamped system, oscillations occur but diminish over time. A critically damped system returns to equilibrium as quickly as possible without oscillating, while an overdamped system returns to equilibrium slowly without oscillating. Understanding these behaviors is essential in fields like engineering and physics.