The nature of waves and Periodic waves

AI Thread Summary
A water-skier traveling at 13.3 m/s experiences upward springs from wave crests every 6.2 seconds when moving with the wave and every 3.5 seconds when moving against it. The 6.2 seconds indicates the wave's period, allowing the calculation of the wavelength as the distance covered in that time. The skier's speed exceeds the wave speed, leading to the need for two equations to solve for both the wave speed and wavelength. The confusion arises from the additional distance covered while moving with the wave, which includes both the wavelength and the distance traveled during the period. A systematic approach using the equations of motion can clarify the relationship between the skier's speed, wave speed, and wavelength.
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Homework Statement



A water-skier is moving at a speed of 13.3 m/s. When she skis in the same direction as a traveling wave, she springs upward every 6.2 s because of the wave crests. When she skis in the direction opposite to the direction in which the wave moves, she springs upward every 3.5 s in response to the crests. The speed of the skier is greater than the speed of the wave.

Determine Speed of the wave

Determine Wavelength of wave

Homework Equations



v=f*(lamda)
v=d*t
f= 1/t



The Attempt at a Solution



I know that in 6.2 seconds that he is going from crest to crest of a wave. Which means in 6.2 seconds he is completing one cycle. 6.2 seconds is the Period of the wave. His skier moves at 13.3.

That means that the distance he covers is 6.2*13.3 = 82.46m
This 82.46 m is the distance between two crests or equal to one wavelength.

I get stuck here and I get marked wrong by the online HW website. Plz help
 
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Very tricky business! At least it is motion at constant speed, so we must use
d = vt for the water skier.
In the first case, going from crest to crest, I would say the distance is
λ + 6.2*v, the velocity 13.3 and the time 6.2. Here v is the speed of the wave crests.
If you write another d=vt for the second case, perhaps you can solve the system of two equations for λ and v.
 
But how did you know that the distance the skier covers is (lamda + 6.2*v) Not just lamda. Why is he going something extra.
 
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