The physics of a shock absorber. One widely used application of damped harmonic motion is in the suspension system of an automobile. figure 10.23 a shows a shock absorber attached to a main suspension spring of a car. A shock absorber is designed to introduce damping forces, which reduce the vibrations associated with a bumpy ride. As part b of the drawing shows, a shock absorber consists of a piston in a reservoir of oil. When the piston moves in response to a bump in the road, holes in the piston head permit the piston to pass through the oil. Viscous forces that arise during this movement cause the damping.