Sea Waves Research Paper

Waves

Introduction

Wave is a oscillation accompanied by a transfer of energy. Different types of waves have different set of characteristics based on orientation of particle motion and direction of energy. The waves travel in definite direction, but cork thrown into the water does not travel with the waves. It moves up and down, to and fro, but unless it is blown by the wind or carried by a current it returns to the same position with each wave and does not permanently leave its place. The cork must move with the water on which it floats, and thus it is clear that although the wave travels forward the particles of water do not.

Formation of Sea waves or origin of sea is not known but it is commonly believed that waves are generated due to

The speed of waves depends partly upon their length and the depth of water.

2). When the water is shallow relatively to the length of the wave, the velocity depends on the depth alone and is proportional to the square root of the depth.

3) When, on the other hand, the water is deep relatively to the length of the wave, the velocity depends on the length alone and is proportional to the square root of the length.

4) If the water is neither shallow nor deep, relatively to the length of the wave, the velocity is affected both by the depth and the length. Roughly speaking, we may say that if the depth of the water is greater than half the length of the wave the velocity depends chiefly on the length; if the depth of the water is less than half the length of the wave, the velocity depends chiefly on the depth.

Consequently, in the open ocean the speed of a wind-wave depends upon its length, but a shelving shore it depends upon the depth of the water. It is for this reason that on a sandy beach the crests of the waves are nearly parallel to the water are nearly parallel to the shore whatever the direction of the wind may

Breaking of wave.

When a wave approaches a shelving shore it keeps its form as a wave until it is near the land and then the top falls forward and the wave breaks. This, like the turning of the wave, is due in part to the fact that the wave travels more slowly as the water becomes shallower. The front of the wave is in shallower water than the back and therefore moves more slowly. The back gains upon it and the front becomes steeper, until in fact the crest is practically unsupported in front, and then, because of the forward movement of the particles at the top of the wave, the crest falls forward. When the water is deep close up to the shore, the waves, if they break at all, break at all, break in a different fashion. They appear to throw themselves against the cliff and the water dashes up the face of the crest the particles of water in a wave are moving upwards and forwards, and when they strike the cliff the rebound continues to carry them upwards. Moreover, in a complete by their cohesion with the lower part of the wave in front of them. But when they reach the cliff there is no part of the wave in front and this hindrance is