Audible resonance requires balancing energy confinement against energy leakage

Evidence

On resonance, two key factors are in a tug-of-war. First, we want to keep the energy (sound) confined so that it can be resonantly enhanced. In the case of sound, we also want to let some of it out so we can hear it! However, this represents a loss, a source of damping in addition to other, nonproductive sources of damping. — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 1040

Categorization

• XREF: The same leak-a-little-out-but-keep-a-lot-in tradeoff governs laser cavities and musical instrument soundholes; ties to bell/chime designs.