If the amplitude of a wave is doubled, how does it affect the energy of the wave

If the amplitude of a wave is doubled, how does it affect the energy of the wave? (2020)

If the amplitude of a wave is doubled, how does it affect the energy of the wave? (2020)

Step 1: Understand what amplitude means. Amplitude is the height of the wave from its rest position.
Step 2: Know that energy in a wave is related to its amplitude. Specifically, energy is proportional to the square of the amplitude.
Step 3: If the amplitude is doubled, we can represent this mathematically. If the original amplitude is A, the new amplitude is 2A.
Step 4: Calculate the energy with the original amplitude. If the energy is E when the amplitude is A, then E is proportional to A^2.
Step 5: Calculate the energy with the new amplitude. The new energy with amplitude 2A is proportional to (2A)^2.
Step 6: Simplify (2A)^2. This equals 4A^2.
Step 7: Compare the new energy (4A^2) to the original energy (A^2). The new energy is 4 times the original energy.
Step 8: Conclude that if the amplitude is doubled, the energy of the wave increases by 4 times.

Wave Energy and Amplitude – The energy of a wave is directly related to the square of its amplitude, meaning that changes in amplitude significantly affect energy.