Final answer:
The Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse in 1940 was a result of resonance, which caused increasingly greater oscillation amplitudes until the structure failed due to a design flaw, not an earthquake.
Step-by-step explanation:
The collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in 1940 was a dramatic example of resonance. When heavy cross winds struck the bridge, they induced oscillations at the bridge's natural resonant frequency. Due to inadequate damping, which worsened as the support cables began to slip over the towers, the amplitude of the oscillations increased until the bridge suffered a catastrophic structural failure. Although earthquake waves can cause similar resonant vibrations in structures, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse was not related to seismic activity. This failure highlighted a significant design flaw in that the mathematical tools available to analyze waves and resonance in structures were not effectively applied during the bridge's design process.