Coastal Geography, Waves

Question 1

How do waves form?

Answer 1

From surface tension between air and water. Over time, these ripples become less agitated/choppy

Question 2

Swell waves

Answer 2

Inital waves formed from wind that have become more organised over time

Question 3

Storm waves

Answer 3

Locally generated waves that tend to be more volatile

Question 4

What are the six main characteristics of wind waves?

Answer 4

Crest, length, frequency, period, velocity, and celerity

Question 5

Wave crest

Answer 5

The highest point of a wave

Question 6

Wave length

Answer 6

The distance between two wave crests

Question 7

Wave frequency

Answer 7

The number of waves passing a fixed point each second

Question 8

Wave period

Answer 8

Time required for two wave crests (one wave) to pass a fixed point

Question 9

Wave velocity

Answer 9

The speed of the wave.
Wave length/wave period

Question 10

Wave celerity

Answer 10

The speed of wave’s shape/phase velocity

Question 11

What is the relationship between wave period and wave velocity

Answer 11

A positive, linear relationship. Consequently, a small increase in wave period results in a large increase in wave length

Question 12

Surf beat

Answer 12

Alternating of high and lower set waves (like a heartbeat)

Question 13

Orbital motion

Answer 13

Water particles rotate in closed orbits below waves

Question 14

Wave base

Answer 14

The difference between deep and shallow water waves

Question 15

Stokes drift

Answer 15

Water particles don’t return to precisely the same position once a wave crest passes

Question 16

What four characteristics of a wave changes once it moves into shallow water?

Answer 16

Velocity, length, period, and crest

Question 17

What happens to wave velocity in shallow water?

Answer 17

Velcoity decreases due to friction

Question 18

What happens to wave length in shallow water?

Answer 18

Length decreases due to decrease in velocity

Question 19

What happens to wave period in shallow water?

Answer 19

Period decreases due to shorter length

Question 20

Wave shoaling

Answer 20

The increase in wave height when the wave base encounters the seafloor

Question 21

What happens to the path of orbital motion in shallow waters?

Answer 21

The paths become flattened, causing them to kick up more sediment

Question 22

Infragravity wave

Answer 22

The increase in water level caused from the changing momentum of wave sets

Question 23

What type of wave is a tsunami?

Answer 23

Seismic seawave

Question 24

What are the two relevant types of waves?

Answer 24

Spilling and surging waves

Question 25

Spilling waves

Answer 25

Gentle waves that break softly over the shore. Occur in mildly steep slope beaches

Question 26

Surging waves

Answer 26

Slow waves with long periods that don’t break but rather ‘roll’ onto the beach. Occur in steep slope beaches.

Question 27

Fetch distance

Answer 27

The distance at which wave-generating winds blow.

Longer fetch = Larger waves