Consider any ocean wave. What is the relationship between an ocean wave and the energy of that wave?

The greater the wavelength, the more kinetic energy the wave has.
Wave energy decreases as the wave moves closer to shore.
Wave energy increases with frequency and decreases with wavelength.
Wave energy is directly proportional to the amplitude of the wave.

1 answer

The relationship between an ocean wave and the energy of that wave can be summarized as follows:

  1. The greater the wavelength, the more kinetic energy the wave has: This statement is not entirely accurate. While longer wavelengths can be associated with more energy, the energy of a wave is more accurately related to its amplitude and frequency.

  2. Wave energy decreases as the wave moves closer to shore: This statement is generally true. As waves approach the shore, they interact with the seabed, which can lead to energy dissipation due to friction and turbulence, causing the wave to lose energy.

  3. Wave energy increases with frequency and decreases with wavelength: This statement is also not accurate as it combines two different relationships. Wave energy is primarily related to amplitude and can also be influenced by frequency (higher frequency can correlate with higher energy), but the relationship between energy and wavelength isn't direct in this manner.

  4. Wave energy is directly proportional to the amplitude of the wave: This statement is correct. The energy of a wave is proportional to the square of its amplitude (E ∝ A²). Therefore, larger waves carry more energy.

In summary, the most accurate relationship presented is that wave energy is directly proportional to the amplitude of the wave (option 4), while also being influenced by the wave's frequency.