Here's why:

* Amplitude is the maximum displacement of a wave from its resting position.

* Energy in a wave is directly proportional to the square of the amplitude.

This means:

* A wave with a larger amplitude has a greater displacement, indicating more energy.

* A wave with a smaller amplitude has a smaller displacement, indicating less energy.

Think of it like this:

* A small ripple in a pond has a small amplitude and carries less energy.

* A large wave crashing on the shore has a large amplitude and carries a lot of energy.