The science of big waves

Pre-viewing:

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

Ocean waves are generated from winds that affect the water and the swell in a way that causes them to form waves which break on the shores.  


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

Because the surfer should know about the different wave types and the intensity of the waves so there is little chance of them getting injured by the waves if they are inexperienced.

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.

The waves in the video form very high and tall and they take a while to break but when the finally do break the impact is very large.

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

Waves are formed by storms that have resulted from low and high pressure fronts colliding with each other. The waves are measured by wind speed, fetch and duration.

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

The waves can get as high as a four story bulding. A wave that is extremely high and powerful.

4. How is energy stored and transferred during wave?

The energy is stored and moved along the ocean and is transferred to wave height as the sea floor becomes steeper and less gentle.

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

Surfers should be careful to learn about and respect the destructive power of the waves and the sudden change of the wave energy when it hits the shelf.