Question

A surfer is sitting on her board watching the waves roll by. On average, the wave crests are approximately 15 meters apart, and a nearby buoy bounces up and down in the water every 7 seconds. What is the wave velocity of this ocean wave?

Answer 1

The wave velocity of an ocean wave with 15 meters between crests and 7 seconds is calculated to be approximately 2.14 meters per second by dividing the wavelength by the period.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the wave velocity of an ocean wave when the distance between crests (wavelength) and the period are known, we can use the formula:

velocity (v) = wavelength (λ) / period (T)

In the case presented, the wavelength is 15 meters (the distance between wave crests) and the period is 7 seconds (the time for the buoy to complete one cycle of motion). Plugging these values into the equation:

v = 15 m / 7 s = 2.14 m/s

Therefore, the wave velocity of this ocean wave is approximately 2.14 meters per second.