What is peak-to-peak voltage?

Peak-to-peak voltage (Vpp) is the total voltage swing from the most negative point to the most positive point of a sine wave. It equals twice the peak amplitude: Vpp = 2 × Vpeak. Oscilloscopes typically display peak-to-peak values.

How is RMS voltage related to peak voltage?

For a pure sine wave, Vrms = Vpeak / √2 ≈ 0.7071 × Vpeak. RMS is the effective DC-equivalent voltage — it delivers the same average power to a resistive load as that DC value would.

What is average rectified voltage?

Average rectified voltage (Vavg) is the mean of the absolute value of a sine wave over one half-cycle: Vavg = (2/π) × Vpeak ≈ 0.6366 × Vpeak. It is relevant when designing rectifier circuits and DC power supplies.

Do these formulas work for non-sinusoidal waveforms?

No. The relationships Vrms = Vpeak / √2 and Vavg = (2/π) × Vpeak apply only to pure sine waves. Square waves, triangle waves, and distorted signals have different crest factors and form factors, requiring waveform-specific calculations.

What is the crest factor of a sine wave?

The crest factor is Vpeak / Vrms = √2 ≈ 1.4142. It quantifies how much higher the peak is relative to the RMS value. A square wave has a crest factor of 1; a sine wave has √2.

What is the form factor of a sine wave?

The form factor is Vrms / Vavg = (π / (2√2)) ≈ 1.1107. It relates the RMS value to the average rectified value and appears in rectifier efficiency calculations.

AC Peak-to-Peak Calculator

Name: AC Peak-to-Peak Calculator
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Enter any AC sinusoidal voltage — peak, peak-to-peak, RMS, or average — and instantly get all four representations.

Input

Known voltage type

Peak Voltage (V)

Quick Presets

Results

Enter a value and click Calculate.

Copied!

Summary

Enter any AC sinusoidal voltage — peak, peak-to-peak, RMS, or average — and instantly get all four representations.

How it works

Select which voltage type you are starting from: Peak, Peak-to-Peak, RMS, or Average.
Enter your known voltage value in the input field.
Click Calculate (or press Enter) to compute all four representations.
The tool applies the standard sine-wave formulas: Vpp = 2 × Vpeak, Vrms = Vpeak / √2, Vavg = (2/π) × Vpeak.
Use the Copy button on any result row to copy that value to your clipboard.
Try the Quick Presets for common mains voltages to see results instantly.

Use cases

Convert an oscilloscope peak-to-peak reading to the RMS value for power calculations.
Find the peak voltage of a 120 V or 230 V mains supply for component voltage ratings.
Determine the average rectified voltage when designing half-wave or full-wave rectifiers.
Verify signal generator amplitude settings against datasheet RMS specifications.
Calculate capacitor voltage ratings from a known RMS supply voltage.
Cross-check multimeter RMS readings against oscilloscope peak-to-peak measurements.
Understand AC waveform representations in electronics coursework and lab reports.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-06-11 · Reviewed by Nham Vu