Chemistry / Unit 5 Chem 0763 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Amplitude
Captions available
The idea
A wave's amplitude is the magnitude of its displacement from the resting position, read as half the height between peak and trough.
In practice
A brighter beam of light has a larger amplitude than a dimmer beam of the identical wavelength and frequency.
Where people slip
Amplitude sets a wave's intensity or brightness — it does not by itself change that wave's wavelength or frequency.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Something wrong in this lesson? Flag it · Sources for Chemistry