Question

What is meant by Resonance, and give a detailed example of where a resonance condition from a driven harmonic motion is an advantage and disadvantage.

Answer 1

If the frequency of the external periodic force is equal to the natural frequency of oscillation of the system, then the amplitude of oscillation will be large and this is known as resonance.

Advantages:

(i) Using resonance, frequency of a given tuning fork is determined with a sonometer.

(ii) In radio and television, using tank circuit, required frequency can be obtained.

Disadvantages:

(a) Resonance can cause disaster in an earthquake, if the natural frequency of the building matches the frequency of the periodic oscillations present in the Earth. The building begins to oscillate with large amplitude thus leading to a collapse.

(b) A singer maintaining a note at a resonant frequency of a glass, can cause it to shatter into pieces.