What is a crest?

What is a crest?

• A. The middle line of a wave
• B. The top of a wave's curve
• C. The bottom of a wave's curve
• D. The distance between peaks

Answer: (B)

Think of a wave oscillating around a middle line. The crest is the top, the highest point of the curve in each cycle, where the displacement is at its maximum in the positive direction. The bottom point is the trough. The distance between successive crests is the wavelength, and the height from the middle line up to a crest is the amplitude. So the crest is the top of a wave's curve.

Think of a wave oscillating around a middle line. The crest is the top, the highest point of the curve in each cycle, where the displacement is at its maximum in the positive direction. The bottom point is the trough. The distance between successive crests is the wavelength, and the height from the middle line up to a crest is the amplitude. So the crest is the top of a wave's curve.