What property describes how tall a wave is from the rest position to its crest?

What property describes how tall a wave is from the rest position to its crest?

• A. Crest
• B. Trough
• C. Amplitude
• D. Wavelength

Answer: (C)

Amplitude is the height of a wave measured from its rest position up to its crest. The rest position is the level the medium would be at if there were no wave, and the crest is the highest point of the wave. This distance from the resting level to the top shows how tall the wave is and also relates to how much energy the wave carries—the larger the amplitude, the bigger the wave. The other terms describe different parts: a crest is the top point itself, a trough is the lowest point, and wavelength is the distance between successive crests.

Amplitude is the height of a wave measured from its rest position up to its crest. The rest position is the level the medium would be at if there were no wave, and the crest is the highest point of the wave. This distance from the resting level to the top shows how tall the wave is and also relates to how much energy the wave carries—the larger the amplitude, the bigger the wave. The other terms describe different parts: a crest is the top point itself, a trough is the lowest point, and wavelength is the distance between successive crests.