A tsunamis (tidal wave) was observed that had a frequency of 1 wave every 30 mins and a wavelength of 1000 km?
Dec 31, 2009
in
Tsunami
A tsunamis (tidal wave) was observed that had a frequency of 1 wave every 30 mins and a wavelength of 1000 kilometers. How fast is it moving?
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3 comments
thebody44 on December 31, 2009 at 9:25 am
Your general formula is: velocity = frequency * wavelength (v = f * L)
Your frequency is 1 wave / 30 minutes
Your wavelength is 1000 Kilometers
So velocity (v) = 1000 Km * 1/30 [1/minutes] ==> 100/3 km/min
Now just convert this to whatever units you need and your done.
Tanada on December 31, 2009 at 9:25 am
The wave will travel 1000 km every 30 min or 2000 km every 60 min giving a speed of 2000 km per hour.
Holden on December 31, 2009 at 9:25 am
So it is telling us the period of the wave is 1/30mins
Convert 30mins to seconds, giving us 1800s
1/1800s = 5.56 x 10^-4Hz
Convert 1000km to meters, giving us 1000 x 1000 = 1.0 x 10^6m
By the universal wave equation, v = lambada(f)
(1.0 x 10^6m)(5.56 x 10^-4Hz) = 556m/s
SI units says we express it in m/s