Final answer:
Maximum curvature of a curve occurs at the points of maximum deformation, which are the top or bottom points of a wave, corresponding to its amplitude.
Step-by-step explanation:
The curvature of a curve at a point is a measure of how sharply the curve bends at that point. In the context of waves, maximum curvature occurs at the points of maximum deformation, which corresponds to the amplitude of the wave. Thus, the curve will have maximum curvature at the very top or the very bottom, where it reaches its maximum and minimum points, respectively. In physical phenomena such as circular apertures and diffraction patterns, the concept of maximum curvature may relate to the most prominent peak in a distribution, referred to as the central maximum.