Calculating Wave Distance Across Land

  • Thread starter Thread starter NoHeart
  • Start date Start date
AI Thread Summary
To calculate how far an 80 ft. wave traveling at 800 mph would go across land when it reaches a shore 82 ft. above sea level, one must consider the wave's energy and the terrain's friction. The discussion highlights the complexity of the physics involved, indicating that it goes beyond basic physics principles. The original poster expresses uncertainty about the calculations and seeks help, reflecting a broader concern about understanding natural disasters like earthquakes. The conversation touches on the emotional context of the question, linking it to personal fears about potential earthquakes. Overall, the inquiry emphasizes the need for a deeper understanding of wave dynamics and their interaction with land.
NoHeart
Messages
28
Reaction score
0
This isn't homework, but it's a question:
if an 80 ft. wave approaches shore at 800 miles per hour, and the shore is 82 ft. above sea level, how far will the wave travel across land?

My mom lives in California and has become obsessed with this earthquake that will allegedly happen tomorrow or twenty years from now (born-again christian, really into the whole "end times" thing). She thinks I'm smart and asked me to figure this out for her...It's been a while since I've had a physics class and I don't really know where to start with this.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
That is wayyyyyy beyond Intro Physics. :smile:
 
Umm... Well, if you do th- *mumbles on*
 
yep

yeah...i knew i couldn't be *that* stupid to be so baffled by the question...thanks anyway!
 
From what I can say LOL... If we were talking forces... Find friction O_o
 

Thread 'Errors and significant figures'

I multiplied the values first without the error limit. Got 19.38. rounded it off to 2 significant figures since the given data has 2 significant figures. So = 19. For error I used the above formula. It comes out about 1.48. Now my question is. Should I write the answer as 19±1.5 (rounding 1.48 to 2 significant figures) OR should I write it as 19±1. So in short, should the error have same number of significant figures as the mean value or should it have the same number of decimal places as...
View full post »
Thread 'A cylinder connected to a hanging mass'

Thread 'A cylinder connected to a hanging mass'

Let's declare that for the cylinder, mass = M = 10 kg Radius = R = 4 m For the wall and the floor, Friction coeff = ##\mu## = 0.5 For the hanging mass, mass = m = 11 kg First, we divide the force according to their respective plane (x and y thing, correct me if I'm wrong) and according to which, cylinder or the hanging mass, they're working on. Force on the hanging mass $$mg - T = ma$$ Force(Cylinder) on y $$N_f + f_w - Mg = 0$$ Force(Cylinder) on x $$T + f_f - N_w = Ma$$ There's also...
View full post »

Similar threads

Did the 1883 Krakatoa Explosion Leave Ships in Peril?
Replies
16
Views
7K
What New Phenomenon in Seismic Waves Did I Discover?
Replies
7
Views
8K
How Does the Double-Slit Experiment Illustrate Wave-Particle Duality?
Replies
1
Views
3K
Current and Future AI Threats to Humanity and the Human Response
Replies
10
Views
4K
Plate Tectonics: The Asthenosphere and Lithosphere
Replies
33
Views
18K
PF Fan Fiction: Mathematicians in Love
Replies
2
Views
4K
Am I too old to be starting from the bottom?
Replies
33
Views
7K
What's the answer to this logic quiz?
Replies
30
Views
14K
Today's Fashions or the Lack Thereof
Replies
9
Views
3K
News Is Washington's Strategy in Ukraine a Prelude to a New Cold War?
Replies
7
Views
3K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top