SDI Open Water Scuba Diver Practice Exam

Which factors are considered when measuring waves?

1. Height and Width

2. Length and Width

3. Height and Length

4. Speed and Duration

The correct answer is: Height and Length

When measuring waves, the factors that are primarily considered are height and length. Height refers to the vertical distance between the crest (the highest point) and the trough (the lowest point) of a wave. This measurement is crucial because it helps determine the wave's energy and potential impact on activities like surfing or navigating in boats. Length, on the other hand, pertains to the horizontal distance between consecutive wave crests. This distance can influence how waves interact with each other and with the shoreline. Understanding these two dimensions is important for various applications in oceanography, boating, and coastal engineering, as they provide essential information about wave behavior. In contrast, width and duration are less relevant in the context of wave measurement. Width is not a standard measurement for waves, while duration typically relates to how long waves last or the time between wave crests passing a specific point, which is an extension of understanding wave characteristics rather than a fundamental measurement metric. Speed may also be relevant in the study of waves but does not form part of the primary parameters used to describe wave size. Thus, height and length are the critical factors that define and measure waves effectively.