An optimal peak voltage is equal to half of what measurement?

The optimal peak voltage is defined as half of the peak-to-peak voltage. This is because peak-to-peak voltage represents the total voltage swing from the highest point to the lowest point of a waveform, such as in an alternating current (AC) signal. In an AC signal, the peak voltage refers only to the maximum voltage above the zero line (or baseline), while the peak-to-peak voltage includes both the upward peak and the downward peak below the baseline. Therefore, when you take the peak-to-peak voltage and divide it by two, you arrive at the optimal peak voltage, which gives you a more practical measurement for applications such as sound systems or power supply design.

Other choices are not relevant to this specific relationship. For instance, root mean square is a different calculation used for determining the effective value of AC voltage but does not relate directly to the peak-to-peak measurement. Frequency pertains to how often a waveform repeats in a second and has no connection to voltage measurements, while resistance speaks to the opposition to current flow, which does not influence peak voltage directly. Thus, the relationship of peak voltage to peak-to-peak voltage underlines why it is the best choice.