The importance of waves Flashcards
What does the size of the wave depend on?
Length of time the wind has been blowing.
Strength of the wind.
Fetch - how far wind has travelled.
Name the 2 wave types?
Constructive.
Destructive.
What is swash?
When the wave breaks, water is washed up the beach.
What is backwash?
When the water runs back down the beach to the sea.
What is stronger with a constructive wave?
The swash is stronger than the backwash.
What is stronger with a destructive wave?
The backwash is stronger than the swash.
Define crest.
The highest point of a wave.
Define trough.
The lowest point of a wave.
Define wave height.
Distance between the crest and the trough.
Rarely exceeds 6 metres, unless storm conditions.
Define swell.
Waves of low height, gentle steepness, long wave length and period.
Define wave velocity.
The speed of movement of crest in a given period of time.
Define wave steepness.
Is the ratio of the wave height to the wave length.
Define wave period.
Time taken for a wave to travel through one wave length.
Define plunge line.
Point where the wave breaks.
Define wave length.
The distance between 2 sucessive crests.
