Final answer:
The statement is false as the amplitudes of waves affect each other through the process of interference whenever they meet, not only when they are precisely aligned.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the amplitude of one wave is affected by the amplitude of another wave only when they are precisely aligned would be false. This concept is related to the phenomenon of interference, which occurs when two waves meet while traveling along the same medium. The overall amplitude of waves at any point results from the superposition of the individual amplitudes of all waves passing through that point, which might be constructive or destructive interference.
Constructive interference occurs when the waves align with matching phases, causing the amplitudes to add together and create a higher amplitude. Destructive interference, on the other hand, occurs when the waves are out of phase, causing the amplitudes to partially or completely cancel each other out. Therefore, waves do not need to be precisely aligned; their amplitudes affect each other whenever they interact.