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Re: [Phys-L] Do waves ever transfer mass?



I once asked a similar question on PHYS-L. Here is a transcript of most of the discussion:

https://www.usna.edu/Users/physics/mungan/_files/documents/Scholarship/WaveMomentum.php <https://www.usna.edu/Users/physics/mungan/_files/documents/Scholarship/WaveMomentum.php>

On May 6, 2020, at 2:28 AM, Antti Savinainen via Phys-l <phys-l@mail.phys-l.org> wrote:

Hi,



I'm teaching an online HS course on waves. A bright student asked whether a
wave ever transports mass. He referred to the model we are using which
states that in a mechanical wave only energy moves, not mass (or the motion
of mass is very limited, say, in a water wave). Does a tsunami make an
exception? I quite understand what happens when a tsunami reaches the shore.
However, a tsunami can travel a few hundred meters inland, even a couple of
miles according to sources I read. This clearly is both transporting energy
and mass. How would you recommend explaining this in terms of HS physics?



Take care,



Antti Savinainen, PhD

Finland

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