A description of oscillations damped by a constant force, despite the importance of the phenomenon, is missing from secondary (i.e., high-school) and university physics textbooks. In this paper, a simple explanation of this type of energy loss is given, using the analogy of a vertical spring-mass system. The predicted result, a linear time reduction in the amplitude of oscillation, can be confirmed in the classroom with the demonstration outlined here. In addition, the possibility of extending the experiment to a laboratory exercise at the university level is described. During the exercise, students distinguish different energy loss mechanisms in harmonic oscillations and measure the values of physical quantities associated with energy loss using a simple analytical procedure.
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