Question

4) A repetitive wave travels at travels through water at 5m/s. You watch a warning buoy oscillates up and down as the ocean waves pass through its position. You measure 8 seconds for the buoy to move from its highest point to it lowest point and back The difference in height is 3.5 m from the lowest point to the highest point. A. What is the wavelength of the ocean wave ? B. What is the amplitude ? C. What is the maximum speed off the buoy?

Answer 1

4) Velocity of the wave is

v = 5 m/s

The buoy moves from the highest point to lowest point and back in 8 sec i.e., Time period of the wave is 8 s

So, frequency of the wave is

Hz = 0.125 Hz

B) The difference in height between the highest and lowest point is 3.5 m.

So amplitude of the wave must be half of this difference,

A = m = 1.75 m

A) Wavelength of a periodic wave is given by

v 5 f 0.125 m = 40 m

C) Maximum speed of the buoy is the maximum oscillation speed which is given by,

Umar = 27fA= 27 x 0.125 x 1.75 m/s = 1.37 m/s