Wave Types and their Characteristics Flashcards
What is a coast?
Where the land meets the sea.
What is a wave?
A long body of water curling into an arched form which breaks on the shore.
What is the first step of a wave formation?
Where the wind blows over the sea.
What is the second step of a wave formation?
The wind causes friction on the surface of the water.
What is the third step of a wave formation?
The friction on the sea forms ripples on the water, which develop into waves.
What is swash?
Water travelling towards the beach at an oblique angle, in the direction of the prevailing wind.
What is backwash?
Water travelling back towards the sea at 90°, due to the gravitational pull.
What is a wave crest?
The top of the wave.
What is the wave trough?
The bottom of the wave?
What is the wave period?
The time between wave crests.
What type of orbit do waves have?
Circular orbit.
Why does the circular orbit become elliptical?
Due to shore friction slowing down the base of the wave.
Does the breaking wave gain or lose height?
It will gain height.
Does the upper layer of air sink or gain height?
The upper layer of air sinks.
What is the wave length?
The distance between crests.
What is the height and energy of a wave dependent on?
The wind speed, wind duration and the fetch.
What is the fetch?
The longer the fetch (distance the wave has travelled), the bigger the wave.
What is the wind duration?
The longer the wind has blown the bigger the wave.
What is wind speed?
The faster the wind the bigger the wave.
Why does the sea bed act as a source of friction?
It is very rough.
Why does the South East Coast of the British Isles have large waves?
As the waves have a large wave fetch as they have travelled for a long time.
What is the wave frequency of a constructive wave?
8-10 waves per minute.
What is the swash and backwash of a constructive wave?
Strong swash, weak backwash.
What is the wave frequency of a destructive wave?
10-14 waves per minute.
What two types of wave are there?
Destructive and constructive.
What is the wave height of a constructive wave?
Under 1 metre.
What is the wave height of a destructive wave?
Over 1 metre.
What is the swash and backwash of a destructive wave?
Strong backwash, weak swash.
