The very popular 12.5 million subscribers YouTube channel, The King of Random, has a very well done video illustration of the effects of mechanical oscillations on objects depending on their height. This concept is used widely in all areas of science,and especially in designing earthquake resistant buildings. Taller buildings are able to withstand oscillations of fast frequency but can swing a lot when the oscillations are slow. The opposite is true for shorter stockier buildings. The resulting motion of the building is described by the phenomena called resonance or harmonic motion and is due to an object's natural preferred frequency of oscillation.
For tall buildings, can offset the motion by dampening or disrupting the oscillations such as by adding a pendulum with a different natural resonant frequency.
This concept can even be used to topple a tree just by oscillating it back and forth until the resulting motion and the input oscillations match and build up enough to uproot the whole tree, even with its root dug into the ground. Amazing stuff!
