Which term describes the height of a wave measured from the peak to the trough?

The term that describes the height of a wave measured from the peak to the trough is amplitude. Amplitude specifically refers to the maximum extent of a wave's oscillation from its rest position, which can be visually understood as the distance from the highest point (peak) of the wave to the lowest point (trough). This measurement is crucial because it is directly related to the energy carried by the wave; a higher amplitude indicates more energy.

In contrast, frequency refers to how many cycles of the wave occur in a given period, wavelength is the distance between successive peaks or troughs, and intensity pertains to the amount of energy that passes through a unit area over a specified time. None of these terms capture the concept of vertical height between the peak and trough as amplitude does.