Final answer:
A high amplitude ocean wave contains significantly more energy due to the relationship between wave energy and the square of the amplitude; the larger the amplitude, the more energy carried by the wave.
Step-by-step explanation:
The energy of an ocean wave is significantly related to its amplitude. The higher the amplitude, the more energy the wave will have. This is because the energy of a wave is directly proportional to the square of its amplitude. When we talk about amplitude in the context of water waves, we refer to the height from the peak of the crest to the bottom of the trough. Large-amplitude waves require a greater force to be created, as they involve displacing a larger amount of water. Consequently, the work done, and thus the energy imparted to these waves, is greater. For instance, a wave with a 2-meter amplitude would have four times the energy of a wave with a 1-meter amplitude, since energy increases with the square of amplitude.