Final answer:
As waves approach the shore in shallow water, their speed decreases. This effect is similar to light slowing down when it enters water, which causes its wavelength to decrease. The process is known as shoaling and leads to higher waves near the shore.The correct option is a.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question relates to the behavior of waves as they move from deeper to shallower waters, such as when they approach the shore. In physics, we learn that as waves enter shallower water, their speed decreases due to the interaction with the sea floor. This slowing down of waves in shallower water is consistent with wave behaviors in various mediums.For example, when light travels from air into water, the light slows down and its wavelength decreases, which aligns with option (a) for that scenario. Similarly, when considering the period and frequency of waves, there's an inverse relationship; if the period of a wave increases (meaning the wave takes longer to repeat), its frequency decreases (fewer waves pass a point per unit time), which corresponds with option (a) as well. The phenomenon of waves slowing down as they reach shore is known as shoaling, which typically results in an increase in wave height.