Why Shallow Water Slows Down Water Waves

In summary, water waves travel more slowly in shallow water than deep water due to factors such as friction against the shallow ground and diffraction as the wave moves inland. The relationship between speed and amplitude is complex, but generally the phase velocity increases with the amplitude. This is due to the non-linear effect known as amplitude dispersion. The formula for speed in relation to wavelength and frequency is c = √(g/k) * √(Tanh(kh)), where g is the acceleration of gravity and h is the water depth.
  • #1
no idea
93
0
why water wave travel more slowly in shallow water than deep water?
 
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  • #2
Probably because of friction against the shallow ground.
 
  • #3
Its probably because of the difraction of the wave. Off land, in deep water, the wave is more compact and has a higher amplitude. But once the wave gets to shalower water and moves inland, it diffracts, spreads out, and loses amplitude. This causes it to lose energy, and speed. It also could be because of friction.
 
  • #4
What is the relationship between speed and amplitude?Is the formula Speed=wave length*frequency?
 
  • #5
First of all, why does a given wave travel faster in deep water ?
To answer this sufficiently, we may regard the linear dispersion relation, which relates the wavenumber "k" with the phase velocity "c":
[tex]c=\sqrt{\frac{g}{k}}\sqrt{Tanh(kh)}[/tex]
g is the acceleration of gravity, whereas "h" is the water depth.
Keeping the wavelength (and hence, k) constant and varying "h" we see that "c" increases with "h", having as maximum [tex]\sqrt{\frac{g}{k}}[/tex]

Secondly, how does the phase velocity vary with the wave amplitude?
(This is called "amplitude dispersion")
This is a (stongly) non-linear effect, suffice it to say that the phase velocity increases with the amplitude.
 

What causes water waves to slow down in shallow water?

Water waves slow down in shallow water due to the decrease in water depth. As the water becomes shallower, the waves encounter resistance from the seabed, causing them to lose energy and slow down.

How does the speed of water waves change in shallow water compared to deep water?

The speed of water waves decreases in shallow water compared to deep water. This is because in deep water, the waves have more space to travel without encountering resistance, allowing them to maintain their speed.

Why do longer waves travel faster in shallow water than shorter waves?

Longer waves tend to travel faster in shallow water than shorter waves due to their longer wavelength. Longer waves have a lower frequency and therefore, lose less energy when encountering the resistance of the seabed, allowing them to maintain their speed better than shorter waves.

Can water waves ever speed up in shallow water?

In some cases, water waves can actually speed up in shallow water. This occurs when the waves are refracted or bent towards the shore, increasing their speed as they are compressed. However, this is only temporary and the waves will eventually slow down again as they reach shallower depths.

How does the shape of the seabed affect the speed of water waves in shallow water?

The shape of the seabed can greatly affect the speed of water waves in shallow water. For example, if the seabed gradually slopes downward, the waves will experience a gradual decrease in speed. However, if there are sudden changes in the seabed, such as a steep drop-off, the waves can become distorted and may even increase in speed due to the change in water depth.

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