The wavelength of tsunamis in midocean is on the order of several hundred miles. The speed of tsunami waves near the middle of the ocean is on the order of the speed of sound in air. Therefore, the time between successive crests for a ship in midocean that encounters a tsunami is on the order of
A) a day.
B) an hour.
C) a minute.
D) a second.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The speed of sound in air is approximately 343 meters per second (m/s), or about 1235 kilometers per hour (km/h). Given that the wavelength of tsunamis can be several hundred miles (hundreds of kilometers), and assuming a similar speed for tsunami waves, the time to cover this distance would be on the order of an hour, not seconds, minutes, or a day.

The Wavelength of Tsunamis in Midocean Is on the Order