Deriving Group Velocity for Gravity Waves

In summary, for a lab experiment on Gravity Waves and Dispersion, the group velocity for gravity waves can be calculated using the equation C_g = (1/2)C_p * sqrt(1 + (2kh)/sinh(2kh)), where C_p is the phase velocity given by C_p = sqrt((g*tanh(hk))/k) and ω is the angular frequency given by ω = sqrt(gktanh(kh)). To solve for C_g, the product rule and chain rule can be used to simplify the equation to (1/2)(gktanh(kh))^(-1/2) * (gtanh(kh) + gk/cosh^(2)(kh)), and further simplification can
  • #1
deejaybee11
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Homework Statement


In a lab experiment about Gravity Waves and Dispersion, one of the preliminary questions is:

Show that for gravity waves the group velocity is:

C[itex]_{g}[/itex] = [itex]\frac{C_{p}}{2}[/itex][itex]\sqrt{1 + \frac{2kh}{sinh(2kh)}}[/itex]

Homework Equations



C[itex]_{g}[/itex] = [itex]dω/dk[/itex]

ω = [itex]\sqrt{gktanh(kh)}[/itex]

where ω is the angular frequency, and
C[itex]_{p}[/itex] = [itex]\sqrt{\frac{gtanh(hk)}{k}}[/itex]

The Attempt at a Solution


By using the product rule and the chain rule I get

[itex]d/dk[/itex](gktanh(kh))[itex]^{1/2}[/itex] = [itex]\frac{1}{2}[/itex](gktanh(kh))[itex]^{-1/2}[/itex](gtanh(kh) + [itex]gk/cosh^{2}(kh))[/itex]

But I have no idea where to go from here.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
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  • #2
Not sure if it was a mistype, but the term with cosh^2 should have an h in the denominator.

Now try to see if there is anything you can take out of the brackets to make C_p in front of them.
 
  • #3
Yeah that was supposed to have an h in the denominator sorry. I have tried numerous ways of factoring something out but i can't seem to get it to work
 
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