Question

A fisherman notices that his boat is moving up and down periodically without any horizontal motion, owing to waves on the surface of the water. It takes a time of 2.70 ss for the boat to travel from its highest point to its lowest, a total distance of 0.660 mm . The fisherman sees that the wave crests are spaced a horizontal distance of 5.90 mm apart.

Required:
a. How fast are the waves traveling?
b. What is the amplitude of each wave?
c. If the total vertical distance traveled by the boat were 0.500 , but the other data remained the same, how fast are the waves traveling ?
d. If the total vertical distance traveled by the boat were 0.500 , but the other data remained the same, what is the amplitude of each wave?

Answer 1

a) 1.092 m/s

b) 0.33 m

c) 0.25 m

Step-by-step explanation:

To start with, from the formula of wave, we know that

v = f λ, where

v = velocity of wave

f = frequency of the wave

λ = wavelength of the wave

Again, on another hand, we know that

T = 1/f, where T = period of the wave

From the question, we are given that

t = 2.7 s

d = 0.66 m

λ = 5.9 m

Period, T = 2 * t

Period, T = 2 * 2.7

Period, T = 5.4 s

If T = 1/f, then f = 1/T, thus

Frequency, f = 1/5.4

Frequency, f = 0.185 hz

Remember, v = f λ

v = 0.185 * 5.9

v = 1.092 m/s

Amplitude, A = d/2

Amplitude, A = 0.66/2

Amplitude, A = 0.33 m

If the other distance travelled by the boat is 0.5, then Amplitude is

A = 0.5/2

A = 0.25 m