What is the effect of wave amplitude on wave energy?

Higher amplitude increases energy is correct because wave energy is fundamentally related to the displacement of the wave from its equilibrium position. In physical terms, the wave energy is proportional to the square of the amplitude. This means that as amplitude increases—representing a larger distance from the rest position—the energy carried by the wave also increases significantly.

In mechanical waves, such as sound waves or water waves, greater amplitudes indicate that the particles are displaced further from their resting positions, requiring more energy to achieve this displacement. Consequently, it reflects a higher energy state for the wave. Therefore, an increase in amplitude directly correlates with an increase in the energy transport of the wave.

Understanding this relationship can be crucial in various applications within physics and engineering, especially when analyzing wave phenomena in fields like acoustics and materials science.