What is Resonance? Simple Definition

  • Context: High School 
  • Thread starter Thread starter threy
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Resonance
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of resonance, with participants seeking a simple definition and clarification of its meaning. The scope includes conceptual understanding and technical explanation.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant requests a simple explanation of resonance, indicating a lack of understanding.
  • Another participant defines resonance as the tendency of a system to oscillate with greater amplitude at certain frequencies.
  • Some participants express skepticism about the adequacy of definitions found online, particularly criticizing a Wikipedia entry for implying that resonance is an internal characteristic of a system.
  • A later reply suggests that resonance can be understood as both an internal characteristic and an occurrence, depending on the context.
  • There is a suggestion that resonance occurs when an object is stimulated by an external agent at a frequency that matches its resonance frequency.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express disagreement regarding the definition of resonance, with some arguing that existing definitions are inadequate or incorrect. Multiple competing views on the nature of resonance remain present in the discussion.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations in the definitions provided, with participants highlighting the ambiguity in terminology and the implications of resonance as both a characteristic and an occurrence.

threy
Messages
21
Reaction score
0
I know what damping is but I have no idea what resonance is? Please explain it in simple words.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
There's a beautiful thing called "Google" search on the internet.
Resonance
Resonance is the tendency of a system to oscillate with greater amplitude at some frequencies than at others.
 
adjacent said:
There's a beautiful thing called "Google" search on the internet.

(Signal boost)
 
TheDemx27 said:
(Signal boost)
Don't do that too much! You'll cause resonance!
 
Well, personally I find there is reason in such question and the answer from Wikipedia, found by Google IMHO is meaningless, even I may dare to say - incorrect, because as cited in that part it contains implication that resonance is some internal characteristic of a system /like "specific frequency" is/, or possibly state, yet /evidently/ the authors themselves immediately after that continue by explaining resonance as "occurrence" /as something that "occurs"/, "phenomena" involving more terms and such meaning "something what happens" and thus not being an internal characteristic or state of a system /however you define a "system" as something with a physical meaning/.

Excuse me for my possibly imperfect English as it's not my mother's tongue.
 
pepe2907 said:
Well, personally I find there is reason in such question and the answer from Wikipedia, found by Google IMHO is meaningless, even I may dare to say - incorrect, because as cited in that part it contains implication that resonance is some internal characteristic of a system /like "specific frequency" is/, or possibly state, yet /evidently/ the authors themselves immediately after that continue by explaining resonance as "occurrence" /as something that "occurs"/, "phenomena" involving more terms and such meaning "something what happens" and thus not being an internal characteristic or state of a system /however you define a "system" as something with a physical meaning/.

Excuse me for my possibly imperfect English as it's not my mother's tongue.

They are both correct. Words can mean more than one thing. So if an object has a resonance and is stimulated by an external agent with a frequency that matches the resonance frequency, a resonance will happen.
 

Similar threads

Undergrad What is the function of the air cavity inside drums?
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
4K
Graduate Question about Helmholtz resonance
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
3K
Undergrad Can Physics Explain the Phenomenon of Love?
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
4K
High School Reducing resonance in a rotating "World"
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
1K
High School What is the difference between standing wave and resonance?
  • · Replies 18 ·
Replies
18
Views
3K
Undergrad Understanding Resonance: Co-lapsing Bridges, Glasses & More
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
5K
Confinement box in the resonator ruins result
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
1K
Undergrad What Are the Key Concepts and Misconceptions About Resonance?
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
4K
Undergrad What are resonances in quantum field theory?
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K
High School How Does Resonance Occur?
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
4K