Waves

Question 1

What are waves>

Answer 1

Waves are the oscillation (back and forth movement) of the water surface

Question 2

What shapes waves?

Answer 2

Wind blowing over a smooth sea surface causing ripples which grow into waves

Question 3

What else could control waves?

Answer 3

Tides and earthquakes (tsunamis)

Question 4

What controls the wave energy and size?

Answer 4

Wind strength and duration
Fetch
Depth of seabed

Question 5

Once created, what direction do waves move in?

Answer 5

The direction of the wind

Question 6

What happens to water particles when a wave passes through?

Answer 6

Water particles simply rotate in a circular or elliptical movement as the wave passes through. It is the energy of the wave that moves towards the shore, not the water in the wave

Question 7

When does the movement of the wave energy translate into movement of water towards the shore?

Answer 7

When a wave breaks

Question 8

What are waves reaching the shore known as?

Answer 8

Waves of translation

Question 9

What happens when wave base comes into contact with the seabed?

Answer 9

Friction slows down the wave advance which causes the wave front to crowd together

Question 10

What happens after the wave front crowds together?

Answer 10

The shortening of the wave causes an increase in wave height

Question 11

What is a spilling wave?

Answer 11

• Wave crest becomes unstable and spills down while introducing air bubbles inside
• Foamy water
• High-steepness waves over mild slopes

Question 12

What is a plunging wave?

Answer 12

• Wave shoreward face becomes first vertical, curls over and finally plunges into the water ahead
• Air can be trapped inside the curl
• Medium steepness waves over intermediate slopes

Question 13

What is a collapsing wave?

Answer 13

• Wave crest becomes vertical, until the base collapses arriving to the shoreline as a thin water layer
• Low steepness waves over steep slopes

Question 14

What is a surging wave?

Answer 14

• Wave crest remains unbroken, and the wave arrives to the shoreline with small shape changes
• Low steepness waves over very steep slopes

Question 15

What are all the characteristics that need to be labelled in the cross section of a wave?

Answer 15

Trough, crest, wave length, circular motion, wave height, still water level

Question 16

What makes waves?

Answer 16

Waves are created by energy passing through water, causing it to move in to a circular motion. However, water does not actually travel in waves

Question 17

Do waves pass water across the ocean?

Answer 17

No, waves pass energy across the ocean

Question 18

What does wave refraction do?

Answer 18

Reduces wave velocity and, if complete, causes wave fronts to break parallel to the shore. Concentrates energy onto the sides of headlands and dissipates energy in bays

Question 19

What is a constructive wave?

Question 20

What is a destructive wave?

Question 21

What are the characteristics of constructive waves?

Question 22

What are the characteristics of destructive waves?

Question 23

What type of waves erode the coastline?

Answer 23

Destructive

Question 24

What type of waves create wide, flat beaches?

Answer 24

Constructive

Question 25

What type of waves are infrequent waves per minute?

Answer 25

Constructive

Question 26

With which wave is backwash greater than swash?

Answer 26

Destructive

Question 27

What type of waves are high in wave height?

Answer 27

Destructive

Question 28

What type of waves break onto the coastline?

Answer 28

Both, destructive and constructive

Question 29

What type of waves is more dangerous to humans?

Answer 29

Destructive