Find the speed of an ocean wave whose vertical displacement y as a function of time t is given by y(x,t) = 3.7 cos(2.2x - 5.6t), where all quantities are in SI units.
A) 2.5 m/s
B) 1.9 m/s
C) 3.5 m/s
D) 4.5 m/s

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The wave speed is given by the coefficient of t in the argument of the cosine function, which is 5.6. Therefore, the speed of the wave is 5.6 m/s.

Find the Speed of an Ocean Wave Whose Vertical Displacement