Second-order poles are specific types of singularities in the context of Laplace transforms, characterized by their effect on the behavior of a system's response. They arise when the denominator of a transfer function has a quadratic factor that can be expressed as $(s - p)^2$, where 'p' is a pole location in the complex plane. The presence of second-order poles influences the stability and oscillatory nature of the system's response, leading to either underdamped, overdamped, or critically damped behavior.
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