What type of waves are created when water particles are moved by wind and returned to their position by gravity?

Gravity waves are generated when wind transfers energy to the water surface, creating oscillations in water particles. These waves move through the water as gravity acts to restore the displaced water particles back to their original positions after they have been pushed by the wind. Eventually, the forward motion of the water particles decreases, and gravity facilitates their return to equilibrium, resulting in a wave characteristic of gravity waves.

These waves typically have longer wavelengths and periods compared to other wave types, such as ripples, which are created primarily by wind action on the water's surface. Ripple waves are smaller, short-duration waves that do not involve significant restoration by gravity. On the other hand, breaking waves occur when waves build up and lose energy as they approach shallow waters, leading to the crest spilling over. Seismic waves are a completely different phenomenon, associated with the energy released during an earthquake and not related to water movement caused by wind.

Understanding the influence of gravity on water movement is crucial in various civil engineering applications, particularly in coastal engineering, where predicting wave behavior is essential for designing structures like harbors and piers.