The height of a transverse wave from the rest position to the crest describes which property?

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

Answer: (B)

Amplitude is the maximum distance the medium moves from its rest position. In a transverse wave, the rest position is the horizontal equilibrium line, the crest is the highest point, and the trough is the lowest. The height from the rest position up to the crest is the amplitude, which measures how large the wave’s displacement is. Wavelength, on the other hand, is the distance between adjacent crests (or troughs), and frequency is how many cycles occur per second. A trough is simply the lowest point of the wave, not a measure of height.