Question

Wind gusts create ripples on the ocean that have a wavelength of 5.00 cm and propagate at 2.00 m/s. What is their frequency?

a) 400 Hz
b) 0.04 Hz
c) 0.8 Hz
d) 40 Hz

Answer 1

The frequency of the ocean ripples can be found by dividing the speed of the wave by its wavelength. Using the formula frequency (f) = speed (v) / wavelength (λ), the frequency is calculated to be 40 Hz.

Step-by-step explanation:

The frequency of a wave can be calculated by using the formula: frequency (f) = speed (v) / wavelength (λ). Given that the ocean ripples have a wavelength (λ) of 5.00 cm, which is 0.05 meters, and they propagate at a speed (v) of 2.00 m/s, we use the formula to calculate the frequency.

To find the frequency in hertz (Hz), we divide the speed by the wavelength as follows:

• f = v / λ
• f = 2.00 m/s / 0.05 m
• f = 40 Hz

Therefore, the frequency of the ocean ripples is 40 Hz.