Damping

Over, Under, and Critically Damped

Bump Stops

Bump stops are ideally a primitive way to have progressive suspension rate, as well as stopping the car from bottoming out. Poorly designed, they raise the suspension stiffness significantly and cause severe over/understeer when hit on either respective end.

The Shock Absorber/Damper

The Shock Absorber is commonly mistaken for absorbing shocks because of the American nomenclature, but it's actually the spring that absorbs shocks, and the Shock Absorber that dampens the spring, ideally preventing oscillation in the spring from bump and droop.