Ocean waves carry a lot of energy – according to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management,...

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Ocean waves carry a lot of energy – according to the Bureau ofOcean Energy Management, about 2,640 TWh/yr (terawatt-hours peryear) off the immediate coast of the US. 1 TWh/yr is enough topower 93,850 average U.S. homes. If some of this energy could beharnessed, it could be a great source of clean, renewable energy.Assume that an ocean wave is described by a sinusoidal transversewave along the surface of the ocean and that has an amplitude of2.0 m, a frequency of 0.25 Hz, and a wavelength of 130 m. Make amodel (i.e. write down an equation and calculate) for the energythat a wave-energy harnessing buoy shown below will generate fromthose waves per cycle and in one whole day. How many homes couldthis amount of energy power per year? Assume that the buoy alwaysfloats at the surface and that the generator shown on the rightwill convert all of the gravitational energy of the buoy intousable electric energy. The combined mass of the buoy and thetranslator is 50.0 kg. Deeper thinking question (write a sentenceor two in response): Where does the wave energy come from? Whathappens to the wave after it has passed the buoy? Why?Hints: (i)What is the total vertical movement of the buoy in one wave cycle?(ii) How much gravitational potential energy does the buoy gainfrom the upward movement in each wave cycle?(iii) How many wavecycles pass the buoy in one hour and in one day?

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