Which of the following causes the formation of surf on a breaking wave?
Beach erosion
Low wind speeds
Deposition of sand on a beach
Friction with the ocean bottom at the coast
is it d pls help me
Well, yes sort of
as a deep water wave approaches shallow water it slows down, not really due to friction but due to the theoretical velocity of waves in deep and shallow water.
In deep water
V = k sqrt (wavelength)
in shallow water
V = K sqrt (water depth)
the transition from deep to shallow starts when the depth is about half a wavelength
The waves therefore slow down. Since the same number land per minute, that means shorter and steeper.
Therefore I would pick D as the closest to a correct answer, but whoever wrote the question did not know a lot about ocean surface waves.
To determine which of the options causes the formation of surf on a breaking wave, let's analyze each choice:
A) Beach erosion: While beach erosion can sometimes contribute to the formation of surf on a breaking wave, it is not the primary cause. It affects the overall structure of the coastline but does not directly cause surf.
B) Low wind speeds: Low wind speeds generally do not generate enough energy to form breaking waves and a significant amount of surf. So, this is not the correct answer.
C) Deposition of sand on a beach: The deposition of sand on a beach does not directly cause surf on a breaking wave. In fact, excess sand often leads to more gentle waves breaking with less surf.
D) Friction with the ocean bottom at the coast: The correct answer is D. Friction with the ocean bottom at the coast is a significant factor in the formation of surf on a breaking wave. As the wave reaches shallow water near the coast, the bottom of the wave slows down due to friction with the ocean bottom, while the top of the wave continues to move at a faster pace. This difference in speed causes the wave to become steeper, eventually breaking and forming surf.
So, the correct option is D) Friction with the ocean bottom at the coast.