Waves and Energy

[Headless Rat]

Would it be true to say that waves can give you energy?
We're having this debate at work and I would agree that they do. My reasoning is this: if you are standing in waist high water and a wave comes and pushes you forward and you move someone else that is in front of you, the wave has given you energy to move this other person.
Is this logical or am I completely wrong?!

[fo3nix]

Well in your case the energy is actually coming from the gravitational potential between the Earth and Moon.

But yes you're right. A wave is more of a way of thinking of things travelling than actually being 'something'. For example, light from the Sun can be thought of as waves, and that carries energy.

[Clanad]

Actually, deriving electrical energy from ocean waves, river currents or tidal currents has been done for some time now. Here's how one guy patented such a device:
http://www.gedwardcook.com/wave.html

Additionally, I think I'd disagree with fo3nix concerning the source of the genesis of the wave movements. His/her statement would certainly be applicable to tides, but ocean, or lake waves are by generated by wind with the exception of tsunamis of course, which are generated by earthquakes of one kind or another...

[fo3nix]

Clanad: yes, I was referring to tides.

[kwicky]

There was some experiments done in Scotland on using wave energy by some scientists and were called 'Salters Ducks'. They were abandoned because of cost but they may make a return.
http://www.ccw.gov.uk/Images_Client/Reports/Ap pendixA.pdf