ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Keulegan–Carpenter number

The Keulegan-Carpenter number is a special number that helps us understand ocean waves better. Imagine you are floating in the water and a wave comes. You can feel the wave moving you up and down, right? Well, the Keulegan-Carpenter number helps us measure how strong that wave is and how fast it's moving.

Think of it like playing with a ball. If you throw the ball really hard, it will move faster and be stronger. But if you throw it gently, it won't go as far or be as strong. The Keulegan-Carpenter number helps scientists figure out how strong the wave is by measuring the height of the wave and the speed of the water it's moving in.

So, when scientists study ocean waves, they use the Keulegan-Carpenter number to help them figure out how powerful the waves are and how they might affect things like ships and structures near the water.