NOAA: Ocean Waves (an online activity shared by my PLT)

Website Link: Original:http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/edu/learning/9_ocean_waves/ocean_waves.html#slide

Tinyurl: https://tinyurl.com/ybvnxray

Directions:

·       Watch Lesson 9 – Ocean Waves

·       Under the “Lesson” tab, watch the film clip “Ocean Waves”. Stop the film when you get to tsunamis. Answer the questions as you go through the slides.

·       To the right of the page you will see an activity “Breaking Waves”. Click this button. You will complete the two activities “Catch a Wave” and “Measuring Waves”.

·       Read the introduction

Lesson 9 – Ocean Waves Questions:

1.     Draw a picture of an ocean wave.  Write the definition next to each wave term.

a.     Crest:

b.     Trough

c.      Wave Height

d.     Wavelength

2.     How are ocean ripples created?

3.     What affects how large and fast a wave becomes?

4.     How does shallow water affect ocean waves?

5.     Why does a wave break on the shoreline?

Catch a Wave Questions:

1.     What happens to a wave as it moves into shallow water?

2.     Describe how the slope of the seafloor controls the way a wave breaks.

3.     Which type of breaker – spilling, plunging, or surging – will cause the most coastal erosion? Explain.

4.     Which type of breaker – spilling, plunging, or surging – will deposit sand onshore and expand beaches?

Measuring a Wave Questions:

1.     What is the wave period (the actual number) in the animation?

2.     What is the relationship between wavelength and period? As wavelength increases, how is wave period affected?

3.     The approximate speed of a wave train can be calculated from the average period of the waves in the train, using a simple formula: speed (in knots, which are nautical miles per hour) = 1.5 x period (in seconds). If NOAA reports that a gale 400 nautical miles offshore has kicked up high waves with a period of 12 seconds, when should you go to the beach?

4.     What will happen to the wave period as the wave train reaches shallow water?