5.2 Measuring Waves

• The amplitude of a wave is the height of the wave crest or the depth of the wave trough from the position at rest.
• The greater the amplitude of a wave the more energy it carries.
• The wavelength of a wave is the distance from one crest to the next or from one trough to the next.
• The frequency of a wave is the number of wave crests passing a point in one second. The unit of frequency is the hertz (Hz).
• The speed of a wave is given by the equation: v = f x

·         v= wave speed

·         f= frequency

·          = wavelength