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GCSE Physics · key term
The maximum displacement of a point on a wave from its undisturbed or equilibrium position, measured in metres (m).
Used by AQA, Edexcel and OCR
Specification 4.6.1.2 · Paper 2
The maximum displacement of a point on a wave from its undisturbed position.
Revise: Wave Descriptors and the Wave EquationThe amplitude is the greatest displacement of a point from its undisturbed position. On a drawing of a transverse wave, the undisturbed position is the centre line. Measure vertically from that line to a crest or a trough.
Specification 4.4 · Paper 1
Measure amplitude from the undisturbed position to a crest or trough, not from crest to trough.
Amplitude is measured from the undisturbed position, not from trough to crest; the trough-to-crest height is twice the amplitude.
Measure amplitude from the equilibrium line to a crest or trough, not from crest to trough. The peak-to-peak displacement is twice the amplitude.
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Amplitude describes the size of the disturbance, period describes its timing, wave velocity describes how quickly it propagates and wavefronts show its position and direction of travel.
Specification P5.1a · Paper 2 (Foundation), Paper 4 (Higher)
The maximum displacement from the equilibrium position, measured in metres for a displacement wave.
Revise: Wave motion descriptionFour quantities describe this motion: amplitude tells us the size of the disturbance, wavelength its spatial length, frequency how often cycles occur and period how long one cycle lasts.
Paper 1, Paper 2
The maximum displacement of a point from its equilibrium position, measured in metres (m).
Revise: Properties and Types of WavesAmplitude is the maximum displacement from the equilibrium position. On a transverse wave diagram, it is the vertical distance from the centre line to a crest or to a trough.