Resonance

Resonance meaning

Resonance is the term which is associated with all kinds of vibrations or waves. It takes place with sound, mechanical, and electromagnetic wave functions. There are three things which together generate resonance. A system having a natural frequency of deriving force along with the frequency which is the same as the natural frequency of the given system or object and the elements in the system which are responsible for the energy loss such as friction, viscosity, resistance etc. Thus, when a system having natural frequency oscillates with a larger amplitude on such frequency this phenomenon is known as resonance. 

Magnetic Resonance:

Magnetic resonance can be defined as a process of physical resonance which is set up via magnetism. Earlier, magnetic resonance was mainly used for developing magnetic resonance imaging and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy technology. Nowadays it is also being developed to develop nuclear magnetic resonance quantum computers.

Magnetic resonance imaging:

Abbreviated as MRI is basically a medical imaging technique. It is widely used in radiology to form pictures of anatomy and other physiological processes of the body. The scanners use powerful magnetic fields. Although magnetic field gradients are radio waves. It generates images of organs of the body. It is a medical application of nuclear magnetic resonance rather than ionizing radiation. 

It is a versatile imaging technique. As MRI is widely used in diagnostic medicine and other biomedical research however it can also be used to generate the images of non-living objects. 

Let us discuss some other uses of MRI rather than the medical aspect.

• In industries MRI is mainly used for the purpose of the routine analysis of chemicals such as MRI is used to measure the ratio between water and fats in foods or to study molecular structures as a catalyst
• As MRI is non-invasive and non-damaging it can also be used for the study of the anatomy of plants, their water balance, and transportation process
• It is used in paleontology to examine the structure of fossils
• MRI is also used in veterinary radiology for diagnostic purposes.
• In pathology MRI is used for the imaging of soft tissues

Limitations:

Since MRI is useful in medical as well as industrial fields however, it has some drawbacks which limit its uses. It is a high cost process. It is more expensive than forensic imaging and CT scanning. MRI is also more time consuming to utilize.

Resonance is physics: 

In physics there are many objects which have natural frequency and property to oscillate with larger amplitudes on such frequency. This is known as resonance. It is related to vibrations and waves. 

For an object it is an easy task to vibrate at its own natural frequency but it is not that easy to vibrate at the frequency of other objects. The vibrating object chooses only that frequency which is equal to its own frequency. So, here it has a filter-like property to match with its frequency. Most  of the time the vibrating objects consist of multiple resonant frequencies.

Let us discuss some common examples of resonance :

There is a tuned circuit inside a radio which keeps us listening to any channel. The resonance frequency of this tuned circuit changes as we rotate the nab of the radio. When the resonance frequency of the tuned circuit matches the frequency of the radio station, we receive that certain channel on the radio.

Music instruments generate sounds and vibrations as they have specific arrangements for sound resonance.

The laser, which is an electromagnetic wave, is produced by using an optical cavity.

Types of resonance: 

• Mechanical resonance
• Acoustic resonance 

• Electrical resonance 

• Optical resonance

• Orbital resonance 

• Atomic, particle and molecular resonance

Acoustic resonance is useful for mechanical instruments. It also helps us in hearing. Electrical resonance occurs in electric circuits. Optical resonance takes place in lasers. Orbital resonance is found in celestial mechanics where the orbiting bodies exert a regular periodic gravitational force on each other. Atomic resonance, also known as nuclear magnetic resonance ( NMR ) , is used in medical imaging techniques such as in magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI ).

Principle of resonance:

According to the law of resonance the frequency of the vibration of an object will attach the vibrating energy of the other object at the same frequency.

Conclusion

Thus, by understanding resonance we can conclude that resonance only occurs when two objects or systems are very close to each other. It takes place only when an object or system is able to store energy or transfer energy between two or more different storage modes. 

One of the most common examples of resonance found in our surroundings is a swing. A swing behaves just like a pendulum. When we push a person in a swing with regular periodic time intervals and the same energy, it takes the swing higher and higher but when we start pushing it in a faster or slower tempo the swing starts producing smaller arcs. It is so because the absorbed energy by the swing is maximized; the frequency of the swing matches  the natural oscillation of the swing.