Answer to Question #288771 in Physics for NICKO

Question

A fisherman notices that his boat is moving up and down periodically, owing to waves on the surface of the water. It takes 2.5 s for the boat to travel from its highest point to its lowest, a total distance of 0.62 m. The fisherman sees that the wave crests are spaced 6.0 m apart. (a) How fast are the waves traveling? (b) What is the amplitude of each wave?

Answer 1

The wavelength is 6 m, the period is T=2.5·2=5 s, so, the speed of the waves is

$$c=\lambda/T=6/5=1.2\text{ m/s}.$$

the amplitude is 0.62 m, the difference between the highest and lowest points.