Sound boxes are designed to resonate at the frequencies produced by the strings within them, thus producing a better sound. Strings will vibrate if a note at their natural frequency is played close to them. The resonant frequency of buildings and similar structures must be investigated carefully to avoid damage, as a building may shake violently if a force is applied to it at the right frequency. The best-known example of this was the Tacoma Narrows bridge, in the state of Washington. The wind, gusting at a steady rate, caused the bridge to twist like a piece of ribbon until it was totally destroyed.
Bridges nowadays have shorter spans to alter their natural frequency and prevent similar disasters.
James, Jessica JJ Bloomsbury Guide to Human Thought 2. Jainism Oxford Paperback Encyclopedia 3. The Macmillan Encyclopedia 2001 4. Jainism The Oxford Companion to Philosophy 5. All rights reserved.