Resonant Frequency (RF) is the natural vibrational rate of an object and is determined by its size, shape, and material composition. When a force is applied to an object at its resonant frequency, the object will vibrate with maximum amplitude. Resonance occurs when the frequency of the applied force matches the natural vibration rate of the object.
The most common example of resonance is when a person pushes a swing. The push must be timed so that it occurs at the same time as the swing’s natural back-and-forth motion like a pedulum. If done correctly, this will cause the swing to go higher than if it was pushed at any other time. This is because all of the energy from the push goes into making the wing move faster instead of being absorbed by the swingas heat or usedto overcome friction between the surfaces in contact with each other.