GEO 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 26: Refraction, Surf Zone, Shoal
3 Apr 2017
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Waves derive their energy and motion from wind. Wave height: vertical distance between trough and crest. Wave period: time it takes for two successive crests to pass the same point. Wave energy moves forward, not the water itself. Occur in deep water (wave can"t feel the bottom: translational waves. Form in shallower water when water-depth is about the wavelength. As speed and length of the wave diminishes, wave grows higher. Steep wave front collapses, wave breaks along shore. Turbulent water advances up shore and forms surf. Review questions: the horizontal distance between two wave crests is called the ________, wavelength. [type text: wave trough, wave period, wave height, waves start to feel the bottom when the water depth is about the wavelength of the wave, true, false. Pop-quiz question: which type of wave do you need to go surfing: oscillating, translational. Waves seldom approach the shore straight on, but rather at an angle.
