Question

A transverse wave is shown.

An illustration of a wave with the distance between troughs labeled 2.6 centimeters and the distance from the top of a crest to the bottom of a trough labeled 4.2 centimeters.
What is the amplitude of this wave?

1.3 cm
2.1 cm
2.6 cm
4.2 cm

Answer 1

Amplitude is defined as the maximum distance from the rest position (equilibrium) to the crest (or trough) of a wave. In the case of a transverse wave, the amplitude can be determined by taking half of the vertical distance between the crest and the trough.

In your description, the distance from the top of a crest to the bottom of a trough is given as 4.2 centimeters. Therefore, to find the amplitude:

\[
\text{Amplitude} = \frac{\text{Distance from crest to trough}}{2} = \frac{4.2 \text{ cm}}{2} = 2.1 \text{ cm}
\]

Thus, the amplitude of the wave is **2.1 cm**.