Question

Why are internal waves usually associated with a pycnocline?

a) Internal waves are not related to the pycnocline.
b) Pycnocline is a physical barrier to internal waves.
c) Pycnocline marks a change in water density, which can generate internal waves.
d) Internal waves only occur in shallow water.

Answer 1

Internal waves are associated with a pycnocline because it marks a change in water density, which can generate internal waves.

Step-by-step explanation:

Internal waves are usually associated with a pycnocline because the pycnocline marks a change in water density, which can generate internal waves. A pycnocline is a layer of water in the ocean or a large lake where the density changes rapidly with depth. This change in density causes vertical oscillations that create internal waves. Similar to internal waves, when water waves travel from the deep end to the shallow end of a swimming pool, they experience refraction due to the change in depth, which affects their speed. The phenomenon of refraction can be explained by the change in wave velocity as it moves from deeper to shallower water. The part of the wave in deeper water moves faster than the part in shallower water, causing the wave to bend or refract. Moreover, waves on water surfaces demonstrate interference patterns when they interact, similar to those observed in other wave phenomena, such as light and sound waves, confirming their wave-like nature.