For Questions 13-18: An average tsunami has a wave period of 60 minutes and a wa

Question

For Questions 13-18: An average tsunami has a wave period of 60 minutes and a wavelength of 500 km 13. What is the wave period in hour(s)? Be sure to include your units. 14. What is the wavelength in meters? Be sure to include your units. 15. Calculate how fast this tsunami would travel (in km/hour). Be sure to include your units. 16. What is the wave base for this tsunami? Be sure to include your units. 17. Given the average depth of the Pacific Ocean is 4280 m, would this tsunami be a deep-water or shallow-water wave? (Be sure to watch your units!) How much warning would coastal California have to prepare if this tsunami originated on the other side of the Pacific Ocean (6000 km)? Answer should be in hours 18.

Explanation / Answer

Given: Wave period = 60 minutes, wavelength = 500 km

13. Wave period (in hours) = 1hour.

Explanation : The wave period in minutes is given as 60 minutes and we know, 60 minutes = 1hour.

14. Wavelength in metres = 500000 metres = 5 * 105 m.

Explanation : Wavelength in kilometers is given as 500 km. We know, 1km = 1000 metres. So, 500 km = 500 * 1000 = 500000 metres.

15. We know,

Wave speed(in km/hr) = Wavelength(km) / Period(hr)

or, wave speed = 500km/1hr = 500 km/hr.

16. Wave base = 1/2 * Wavelength

or, wave base = 1/2 * 500 km = 250 km = 250000 m.

17. Given: average depth of Pacific Ocean = 4280 m = 4.280km.

Wave base = 250000 m = 250km.

The wave base > average depth of the Pacific ocean.

Thus, it is a shallow water wave because the ocean bottom strongly affects the wave.

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