Final answer:
Surface waves, especially Love waves, have the largest amplitude during earthquakes and cause the most destruction, as measured by the Richter scale, which correlates with wave amplitude and energy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The body wave with the largest amplitude and therefore the most destructive potential during an earthquake is the surface wave, particularly the Love wave (L-wave). Unlike body waves that travel through the Earth's interior, surface waves propagate along the Earth's surface and tend to have larger amplitudes and longer durations, which can cause greater destruction to structures. The Richter scale measures earthquake strength based on wave amplitude and energy release. Large-amplitude earthquakes create substantial ground displacements leading to significant damage. The relationship between wave energy and amplitude is quadratic, meaning energy increases with the square of the amplitude.