What term refers to the peaks of waves in a periodic wave pattern?

The term that refers to the peaks of waves in a periodic wave pattern is "crests." In the context of wave physics, crests are the highest points reached by the wave above the equilibrium position. When visualizing waves, crests represent the points where the energy of the wave is at a maximum, leading to the highest displacement of the medium through which the wave travels.

In contrast, troughs refer to the lowest points of the wave, where the medium is at its minimum displacement. Wavelengths measure the distance between successive crests (or troughs) in a wave, indicating how long one complete wave cycle is. Amplitude describes the maximum displacement from the rest position, which is related to the height of the crests and the depth of the troughs, but it does not specifically identify the peaks of the wave. Thus, "crests" is the precise term used for the peaks in periodic waves.