This thread has been very interesting. I think I finally have the beginnings of understanding RE: wave height, speed, and period. Now - can one or more of you tell me how to compute the potential/kinetic energy in waves of different characteristics? (Yeah I know - go out there and see how fast I get trashed - but seriously now....) Bill Hansen Ithaca NY *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Bill wrote; > Now - can one or more of you tell me how to compute the potential/kinetic > energy in waves of different characteristics? (Yeah I know - go out there and > see how fast I get trashed - but seriously now....) > The potential energy per unit area in a wave = pg*(H^2)/8 H^2 = the wave height squared and g = the acceleration due to gravity and p = the density of the water. (I think I have that right). In a breaking wave this alters. Where the water molecules follow circular paths in a non-breaking sea roughly the top third of the wave breaks off in a breaking wave. This water experiences translational motion. The speed of an open water breaking wave crest can exceed 2.1 times the wave speed. If you calculate the drag of the paddler and topsides you can get a rough idea of the force striking the paddler caught in a breaking sea. Not a pleasant thought at all. Cheers, John Winters Redwing Designs Web site address, http://home.ican.net/~735769 *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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