High School

Suppose an ocean wave under fairly calm conditions has a height of \(\frac{1}{3}\) meter and carries a power of 500 watts for every meter along the length of the swell. These are typical values for a calm day at sea.

How much energy would be carried by the waves of a gale that are 3 meters high (about 10 feet!)?

A. 500 watts
B. 1500 watts
C. 2000 watts
D. 4500 watts

Answer :

Final answer:

The energy carried by gale waves that are 3 meters high is 1500 watts.

Explanation:

The energy carried by ocean waves is directly proportional to the wave height. In this case, the calm ocean wave has a height of 1/3 meter and carries a power of 500 watts per meter along its length. To calculate the energy carried by the gale waves that are 3 meters high, we can use the formula:

Energy = Wave Height * Power

Energy = 3 meters * 500 watts/meter = 1500 watts

Hence, the correct answer is b) 1500 watts.

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