The Science of Big Waves

Previewing


1. Where do ocean waves come from? What gets them started?


Answer: Waves are generated by wind out on the ocean. On the ocean, with nothing to stop them and much deeper water under them, these ripples continue to grow as the wind continues to push them. There are heaps of variables which will affect the shape and size of waves. But to answer where waves come from is really to answer where wind comes from, and the answer is the Sun.


2. What do you think a surfer should know about waves before they try and ride a wave while surfing?


Answer: Stay away from heavy shore break beaches, reef breaks, point breaks. You want a mellow sandy bottom spot with slow peeling mushy waves, and not to many people out. You want to learn to surf, not get beat up and held down and thrashed around. Do your homework and this can make the difference in having a good first experience or a bad one.


Question for the Video


1. Observe all the waves that you see and describe how they form and break. Use as many words found in the segment for you descriptions.


Answer:There are two factors that waves breaks. First, The depth of the wave where it is breaking. Every waves breaks on a spot of the sand where the depth of the wave is half as deep as the wave is tall. For example.: if the wave is depth is 1 meter deep, then the height of the wave will be 2 metres. Second, The speed of the wave. If the wave is travelling at a high speed, then the barrel of the wave will shape like a lying-down almond.


2. Describe how waves are formed, how they originate, and how they are measured?


Answer: Also, waves can be formed by gravity under the water level and the light. They can measure the waves by looking at the wavelength. 


3. What is a maverick wave and what is special about the way it is formed?


Answer:When the sloping ramp leads up to the surface under the wave break. The presence of this ramp slows the propagation of the wave over it. The wave over the deep water troughs on each side of the ramp continues at full speed forming two angles in the wavefront centered over each of the boundaries between the ramp and the two troughs


4. How is energy stored and transferred during wave?


Answer:All the energy stored at the surface to half the wavelength and transfer to the front side of the waves.


5. List any kind of advice given by the surfers about how to survive these “big waves.”


Answer: Catch the wave before the wave falls down.