In control systems and signal processing, the presence of a zero in a transfer function affects the step response in specific ways. To understand this better, let's break it down:
### 1. **Definition of Transfer Function:**
A transfer function \( H(s) \) is typically represented as:
\[ H(s) = \frac{N(s)}{D(s)} \]
where \( N(s) \) is the numerator polynomial and \( D(s) \) is the denominator polynomial.
### 2. **Zeros and Poles:**
- **Zeros** are the roots of the numerator polynomial \( N(s) \).
- **Poles** are the roots of the denominator polynomial \( D(s) \).
### 3. **Effect of Zeros on Step Response:**
1. **Initial Response:**
- Zeros tend to cause the step response to initially deviate from a simple exponential rise or fall. Specifically, the response might overshoot or undershoot more significantly compared to a system with no zeros or only poles.
2. **Transient Response:**
- The presence of a zero can introduce additional dynamics in the transient response. For instance, a zero at \( s = -z \) will typically result in a term \( e^{zt} \) in the response, which can cause the system to exhibit different behavior in terms of overshoot, settling time, and oscillations.
3. **Steady-State Response:**
- In general, zeros can affect the steady-state value of the response. However, they do not affect the final value (the steady-state value) directly but influence the shape and timing of how the system reaches that value.
4. **Example - First-Order System:**
- Consider a transfer function with a single zero:
\[ H(s) = \frac{s + z}{s + p} \]
- Here, \( s + z \) is the zero, and \( s + p \) is the pole.
- The step response of such a system will initially exhibit a different characteristic compared to a system without zeros. Specifically, the zero introduces an initial transient that might not be present if the system had only poles.
5. **Higher-Order Systems:**
- In more complex systems with multiple zeros, the step response will have a more intricate form. The zeros can introduce multiple changes in the direction of the response and affect how the system approaches its final value.
### 4. **Visualizing the Effect:**
- For a more concrete understanding, consider plotting the step response of systems with different configurations of zeros and poles. Observing how the response changes will give you a visual representation of how zeros influence the behavior.
In summary, the effect of zeros on the step response is to modify the transient characteristics of the system. They influence how quickly and in what manner the system reaches its final steady-state value, potentially introducing overshoot, undershoot, or other transient phenomena.