The wave's amplitude is 0.5 cm, calculated as half the total vertical distance between the crest and trough. Here option A is correct.
The image provides a clear representation of a wave, with the mean position indicated by the horizontal line at 1.5 cm. The amplitude of a wave is defined as the maximum displacement of a point on the wave from its mean position. In this case, the crest of the wave is observed to be 0.5 cm above the mean position, while the trough is 0.5 cm below it.
By definition, the amplitude is the measure of the wave's maximum deviation from its equilibrium position. In the context of this wave, the amplitude can be calculated as half of the total vertical distance between the crest and the trough.
Since the crest is 0.5 cm above the mean position and the trough is 0.5 cm below it, the total vertical distance is 1.0 cm. Therefore, the amplitude is half of this value, which is 0.5 cm.
This interpretation aligns with the provided answer choices, where option A is the only one that corresponds to half of the difference between the crest and the trough, further confirming the amplitude as 0.5 cm. Here option A is correct.