Science
What is Resonance?
Resonance happens when something is pushed at its natural rhythm, so its vibrations build up bigger and bigger. A child on a swing, a shattering wine glass, and a radio tuning to a station all rely on resonance — matching a driving force to an object's natural frequency.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains resonance.
Key things to understand
- 1Every object has a natural frequency it 'likes' to vibrate at.
- 2Pushing it at that frequency makes the vibrations grow large.
- 3Small, well-timed pushes add up — like pumping a swing higher.
- 4It can be useful (radios, instruments) or destructive (bridges, glass).
- 5Mismatched timing dampens the motion instead of building it.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a natural frequency?
- The rate at which an object vibrates most easily when disturbed — like the fixed pitch a tuning fork rings at.
- Can resonance be destructive?
- Yes. Wind or marching feet hitting a bridge's natural frequency can build dangerous swaying, and sound at a glass's frequency can shatter it.
- How do radios use resonance?
- A radio circuit is tuned to resonate at one station's frequency, amplifying that signal while ignoring the rest.