Final answer:
A sea state developed under a certain wind speed will change if the wind speed increases because the energy transferred to the sea's waves scales with the cubic power of wind velocity. This results in more intense sea conditions with higher waves and additional energy.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering the development of a sea state under the influence of wind, it's critical to understand that the sea's state is a dynamic balance of energy. The energy of waves corresponds to the wind speed, and when the wind speed increases, additional energy is transferred to the water's surface, altering the sea state. According to physics, we observe the power of wind on the sea's surface increases as the cubic power of velocity. This means that a small increase in wind speed can cause a significant increase in the sea's wave energy and therefore change its state.
For example, when wind speed doubles, the power does not simply double; it increases by a factor of eight because power scales with the cubic power of wind speed. This principle is evident in the operation of wind turbines, where the power generated increases as the cube of the wind velocity until reaching a certain limit, beyond which safety mechanisms reduce efficiency to prevent damage.
This principle can also help explain the destructive potential of tropical storms, where increased wind speeds result in dramatically more powerful storms. Therefore, if a sea that is fully developed for a given wind speed experiences an increase in that wind speed, the sea state will likely change and become more intense with higher waves and more energy.