Science & engineering
Waveform RMS & peak
Compare peak, peak-to-peak and RMS for ideal symmetric periodic waveforms.
A clear answer. Here’s how.
For ideal zero-mean AC waveforms, RMS/peak is 1/√2 for sine, 1 for symmetric square, and 1/√3 for triangle or linear sawtooth. Total RMS with DC offset is √(AC_RMS²+offset²). Peak-to-peak is twice AC peak; extrema are offset ± peak. Duty cycle is 50% for the square wave. This does not generalise to arbitrary measured waveforms.
See a worked example
Worked example
A fixed demonstration, separate from the values you enter above.
- AC waveform about its DC offset
- Sine
- Known AC amplitude
- Peak magnitude about DC offset
- Known AC amplitude (V)
- 1
- DC offset (V)
- 0
Example result
- AC peak magnitude
- 1 V
- AC peak-to-peak
- 2 V
- AC-only RMS
- 0.707106781187 V
- Total RMS including DC
- 0.707106781187 V
- Waveform maximum
- 1 V
- Waveform minimum
- -1 V