Vibration Theory and Terminology: Amplitude
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada, 2002 GMC Envoy XL, 2002 GMC Envoy, and 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
| Callout | Component Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Maximum |
| 2 | Minimum |
| 3 | Zero-to-Peak Amplitude |
| 4 | Peak-to-Peak Amplitude |
Amplitude is the maximum value of a periodically varying quantity. Used in vibration diagnostics, we are referring it to the magnitude of the disturbance. A severe disturbance would have a high amplitude; a minor disturbance would have a low amplitude.
Amplitude is measured by the amount of actual movement, or the displacement. For example, consider the vibration caused by an out-of-balance wheel at 80 km/h (50 mph) as opposed to 40 km/h (25 mph). As the speed increases, the amplitude increases.