We know that waves transmit energy. There are many types of waves: light, microwaves, x-rays, sound waves, and ocean waves are all examples of waves transferring energy. Ocean waves are a renewable energy source that uses the energy of the waves to generate electricity. Consider any ocean wave. What is the relationship between an ocean wave and the energy of that wave?

Question

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

Answer 1

The correct answer is C: Wave energy is directly proportional to the amplitude of the wave.

Wave energy is related to the amplitude of the wave because the energy carried by the wave is proportional to the square of the amplitude. Higher amplitude waves carry more energy, while lower amplitude waves carry less. The other statements have inaccuracies or are not generally true:

• A: While it is true that wave energy can be influenced by frequency, saying it decreases with wavelength is misleading. Energy is more directly related to amplitude.
• B: Wave energy can indeed decrease as waves approach the shore due to interaction with the seabed, but this is not a universal law and can depend on various conditions.
• D: The statement does not accurately reflect how kinetic energy is related to wavelength; kinetic energy is more related to wave speed and amplitude than to wavelength alone.

Thus, option C reflects the correct relationship between wave energy and the amplitude of the wave.