Name: ______Date:______Per:______

WS 1.5 : Waves Web Quest

The Anatomy of a Wave:

Click on the following linkAnatomy of a wave, then Click on the definition button and observe the animation.

Answer the following questions:

  1. What is the highest point on the wave called?
  1. What is the lowest point on the wave called?
  1. What is the distance between 2 wave crests called?
  1. What is the wave height?

Building a wave

Click the following link to view an interactive on the variables that effect wave height: Building a wave

  1. What are the three factors that determine wave height?
  1. Explain what is meant by wind fetch?
  1. What is meant by wind duration?
  1. Will a brief, strong gust of wind be able to produce a large wave?
  1. Use the wave generator to determine which of the three variables has the greatest effect on wave height. Provide evidence by completing the table below.

Trial / Wind Speed / Fetch / Duration / Wave Height
1 / 10 / 10 / 69
2 / 10 / 1420 / 2.4
3 / 50 / 10 / 2.4
  1. Using your results from the table, which of the variables had the greatest effect on wave height?

Types of waves: Breakers

Use the following link to view animations of waves breaking. types of waves

  1. Match to slope of the beach to the wave it will produce.

______Gentle Sloping Beach /
  1. Plunging breaker

______Moderate sloping beach /
  1. B. Surging breaker

______Steep sloping beach /
  1. C. Spilling breaker

  1. As the wave moves into shallow water what happens to the . . . (Read the answers to the questions on the website)
  1. Wave height ______
  2. Base of the wave ______
  3. Crest of the wave ______

Types of waves: Rouge waves

Click and read the information contained in the following link: Rouge waves. For an animation of how rouge waves from click here

Answer the questions below:

  1. What are rouge waves?
  1. What causes a rogue wave?
  1. What is the difference between rouge waves and tsunamis?

Types of waves: Tsunamis

Click and go through the information contained in the following link: Tsunami. You can click hereto see how a tsunami spreads.

Answer the questions below:

  1. What is tsunami?
  1. What causes Tsunamis?
  1. Out in the open ocean are tsunamis Large or small?
  1. What happens to a Tsunamis speed and height as they move closer to land?