amplitude

[ am-pli-tood, -tyood ]

noun

1. the state or quality of being ample, especially as to breadth or width; largeness; greatness of extent.
2. large or full measure; abundance; copiousness.
3. mental range, scope, or capacity.
4. Physics. the absolute value of the maximum displacement from a zero value during one period of an oscillation.
5. Electricity. the maximum deviation of an alternating current from its average value.
6. Astronomy. the arc of the horizon measured from the east or west point to the point where a vertical circle through a heavenly body would intersect the horizon.
7. Mathematics. argument ( def 8b ).

amplitude

/ ˈæmplɪˌtjuːd /

noun

1. greatness of extent; magnitude
2. abundance or copiousness
3. breadth or scope, as of the mind
4. astronomy the angular distance along the horizon measured from true east or west to the point of intersection of the vertical circle passing through a celestial body
5. Also calledargument maths (of a complex number) the angle that the vector representing the complex number makes with the positive real axis. If the point ( x, y ) has polar coordinates ( r, θ ), the amplitude of x + i y is θ , that is, arctan y/x Compare modulus See also Argand diagram
6. physics the maximum variation from the zero or mean value of a periodically varying quantity

amplitude

/ ăm′plĭ-to̅o̅d′ /

1. Physics.
   One half the full extent of a vibration, oscillation, or wave. The amplitude of an ocean wave is the maximum height of the wave crest above the level of calm water, or the maximum depth of the wave trough below the level of calm water. The amplitude of a pendulum swinging through an angle of 90° is 45°.
2. Physics.
   Compare frequency
3. Electronics.
   The amount by which a voltage or current changes from zero or an average value.

amplitude

1. In physics , the height of a crest (or the depth of a trough) of a wave .

Word History and Origins

Origin of amplitude¹

From the Latin word amplitūdō, dating back to 1540–50. See ample, -i-, -tude

Word History and Origins

Origin of amplitude¹

C16: from Latin amplitūdō breadth, from amplus spacious

Example Sentences

Both the frequency and the amplitude of the changes are increasing.

From Salon

“You get waves trapped in the basin, and that just makes the shaking last longer. But you also get amplifications, so you’re feeling waves as higher amplitude, and therefore stronger shaking that, without the amplification, you wouldn’t have felt. So both are contributing to this duration,” Page said.

From Los Angeles Times

The performance loss is partly due to the difficulty of optimizing the shape and amplitude of the applied magnetic perturbations, which in turn stems from the computational intensity of existing physics-based optimization approaches.

From Science Daily

The machine learning model, which is a more efficient surrogate for existing physics-based models, can monitor the plasma's status from one millisecond to the next and alter the amplitude and shape of the magnetic perturbations as needed.

From Science Daily

Consequently, fusion researchers have had to preset the shape and amplitude of the magnetic perturbations ahead of each fusion run, losing the ability to make real-time adjustments.

From Science Daily