Waves And Tides Worksheet printable pdf download

Waves And Tides Worksheet

OS1 The Oceans

Fall 2007

Name: _______________________

Section/ TA: ____________________

Waves and Tides. Homework

YOU MUST WORK

Activity 1: Waves in the Pacific

INDEPENDENTLY on this activity.

In deep ocean water, waves move out from a storm center and organize

themselves into what we call "swell", similar to the waves generated by a rock

tossed into a pond. Energy propagates away from the storm center at the group

velocity, which is ½ the speed of individual wave crests and troughs observed in

within the swell.

Suppose that in April of next year two large storms are brewing in the Pacific. On

April 10

a late-season storm moves into the central Pacific and is located north of

Hawaii, centered at 35N and 160W. At noon on April 10

, its winds peak,

generating a maximum swell of 7m (~21ft) with a period of 6 seconds heading for

the U.S. West Coast. One day later a very large and unusual early-season storm

peaks in the South Pacific near 20 S and 120 W. At noon on April 11

, its peak

winds generate swells headed toward the north of 15m (~45ft), with a period of

17 seconds.

1. What are the wavelengths that characterize the two storm-generated sets of

swell?

2. What are the group velocities (m/s) that you would expect from each of the two

storms? Remember, the group velocity is half the speed of the individual waves!

Waves & Tides- Homework pg-1

Waves And Tides Worksheet