Ocean waves are caused mainly by wind, and it may also be caused by landslide,
• Volcanic eruption
• Submarine earthquake
• Attraction of gravity of the moon and sun, and the earth.
Parts of a wave
Ocean waves may be transverse or longitudinal.
ocean waves are classified into two main categories namely:
• Deep waves
• Shallow waves
A deep wave is one when the ratio of water depth to wavelength is greater than the half and it is shall where it is less than ¹/25.
Difference between shallow and deep water
| Shallow waves | Deep waves |
|---|---|
| shallow water waves moves in elipses | deep water waves moves in circle |
| Shallow water waves, the horizontal particle, and the horizontal dimension of the elipse remain unchanged from the surface of the ocean to the bottom of the ocean | Deep water waves, the circular orbit speed of the circle decrease with depth |
| Shallow water waves depends only on depth of water | Deep water waves depends on the wavelength and depth of water |
| The phase velocity of the water wave are independent of depth. |
Shallow water waves are not dispersing, deep water waves are dispersing.
Tide: The rise and fall of water is called tide. while the back and front action of the tide is called Tidal action.
A tide maybe diagonal or semi diagonal.
