What is Resonance in Physics?

Study Notes

Resonance occurs when a vibrating object causes another nearby object to start vibrating at a higher amplitude.
Resonance is possible because objects and systems naturally vibrate at a definitive frequency, called the resonant frequency or natural frequency.
The resonant frequency is determined by the size and shape of the object, along with the material it is made from.
Resonance occurs when the frequency of an initial object's external vibration matches the resonant frequency of a second object, resulting in a higher amplitude vibration.

Resonance occurs when an item oscillates or vibrates in response to exposure of oscillations at a frequency that matches or is close to matching its resonant frequency.
Resonance will not occur if the vibrating frequency does not match the resonant frequency of the item.

A wave is a disturbance that moves through a material from a given point to another point.
A standing wave is a wave that is associated with resonance, resulting from two separate waves with matching frequencies and moving in opposing trajectories interfering with each other.
Standing waves do not appear to travel and appear to oscillate in place.
Standing waves feature two points along the wave that do not move, called nodes, and points where the standing wave has the largest amplitude, called antinodes.

Resonance can be observed in RLC circuits, musical instruments, and light waves.
In RLC circuits, resonance happens when the induction and capacitance are the same in magnitude, but negate one another, resulting in the highest amount of power being transferred.
In musical instruments, resonance amplifies sound waves to create louder sounds, resulting from an item vibrating after being exposed to sound waves at the resonant frequency.
In light waves, resonance occurs when the frequency of the light wave matches the resonant frequency of the object, resulting in absorption of the light wave.