Consider the following statements with reference to sea waves : 1. The height of waves is determined by wind speed, wind duration, and fetch 2. The energy of a wave is proportional to the square of its height 3. Waves retain most of their energy as they travel across the deep ocean Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

Statement 1 is correct as wave height is determined by wind speed, wind duration, and fetch (the distance over which the wind blows). Statement 2 is correct because wave energy (E) is mathematically proportional to the square of the wave height (H), expressed as E ∑ H². Statement 3 is correct because waves are essentially energy moving across the ocean surface [1]. In the deep ocean, waves lose very little energy because they do not interact with the sea floor; significant energy dissipation primarily occurs through whitecapping or when they reach shallow water where bottom friction and shoaling cause them to break [3]. While wind-generated waves eventually die out at the shore, they retain most of their energy during their long-distance travel across the deep, open ocean [2].

Sources

1. [1] FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 13: Movements of Ocean Water > WAVES > p. 108
2. [2] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 15: Tsunami > Normal Waves vs Tsunami Waves > p. 192
3. [3] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S027277142200419X