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amplitude

amplitude

15 6.1
The maximum distance a wave or vibration moves from its middle
  • noun
  • /ˈæmplɪˌtud/
  • Specialized
translation icon : amplitud
  • You can visualize the amplitude of a vibration by looking at the height of the wave on an oscilloscope.
  • peak amplitude
  • amplitude and frequency
  • amplitude and duration

Then you will not have enough amplitude to break the glass.

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Examples

  • Height above the plane represents the amplitude of one polarization mode of waves at a fixed moment in time.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Placing the needle in the disk's grooves, I felt electrical impulses of variable amplitude being generated within the cartridge.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Then you will not have enough amplitude to break the glass.

  • This is a standing wave, a wave that can change amplitude but does not change position.

  • The maximum amplitude is only 1.2 times the input.

  • So high pitched things have high frequencies, high amplitude things are loud.

  • The recorded sound will be represented by a waveform showing the amplitude of the sound as it changes over time.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Notice that the amplitude of this overtone is very low compared with the fundamental frequency.

    Academic text (2011)
  • They look at the reflected laser power, they look for differences in amplitude or in phase.

  • All target nouns will be produced with similar movement amplitude and duration across weak and strong syllables.

    Academic text (2011)

Synonyms

magnitude
vsamplitude
137 4.7

The size or importance of something compared to others

is a specific physical maximum for waves and signals not general size
amplitude level
vsamplitude
  • Specialized
5.7

How strong a sound or signal is

is the maximum height of a wave measured from its central value

Compounds

amplitude modulation
  • Specialized
1 5.3

A way of sending radio signals by changing a wave's height

amplitude distortion
  • Specialized
7.1

When an electronic device makes part of a signal louder or quieter than it should

amplitude level
  • Specialized
5.7

How strong a sound or signal is

How Large

amplitude
  • Specialized
15 6.1
noise level
  • Specialized
5 3.1

Surface Forms

amplitude singular
amplitudes plural

Etymology

The word amplitude comes from the old Latin word amplus, which means 'large' and is the same root as the English word ample. So amplitude is the 'size' or 'height' of something like a wave, and a bigger amplitude means a taller or stronger signal.