What do we call vibrations that are caused by matching the natural frequency of an object?

Vibrations that occur when an external force matches the natural frequency of an object are referred to as resonance. When the frequency of the applied force aligns with the natural frequency of the object, the object begins to vibrate with increasing amplitude. This phenomenon is critical in various applications, from musical instruments to buildings and bridges, where engineers must consider resonance to prevent structural failure.

In contrast, harmonics refer to the integer multiples of a fundamental frequency but do not specifically indicate resonance. Symphony relates to a composition of music and does not pertain to the physics of vibrations. Interference describes the superposition of waves, which can lead to constructive or destructive interference but is also not specific to matching natural frequencies. Thus, the definition of resonance best encapsulates the phenomenon of vibrations caused by frequency matching.