Water Waves

How are waves primarily formed?

• By the gravitational pull of the Moon

• By underwater volcanic eruptions

• By wind transferring energy to the water

• By the movement of fish in the ocean

Which factor does NOT affect the size of waves?

• Wind speed

• Duration of wind
  

• Fetch (distance the wind blows)

• The color of the water

What type of motion do water particles in waves follow?

• Straight line forward

• Circular motion

• 
  Zig-zag motion
  

• Back-and-forth horizontal motion

What happens to a wave as it approaches the shore?

• The wave becomes faster and continues moving forward.
  

• The bottom slows down due to friction, and the top of the wave rises.
  

• 
  The wave disappears entirely.
  

• The wave reverses direction and moves back to the ocean.

Why do waves break near the shore?

• The wind stops blowing.
  

• The wave energy weakens in shallow water.
  

• The interaction with the seafloor causes the wave to grow taller and unstable.

• The water becomes colder.

What do surfers use to ride waves?

• The wave’s gravitational pull

• The wave’s kinetic energy

• The wave’s potential energy

• The wind’s energy

What is required for surfers to balance on the surfboard?

• Aligning their center of gravity with the wave’s force

• 
  Leaning backward to avoid falling
  

• Paddling constantly

• Keeping their feet still and rigid

Which of the following best describes tsunamis?

• Small waves formed by strong winds

• Large waves caused by underwater geological events

• Waves caused by the Moon’s gravitational pull

• Sudden high tides

Why do tsunamis grow taller near the shore?

• They gain energy from the wind.

• They lose speed, causing the energy to compress and the wave to rise.
  

• The water near the shore is warmer.

• The seafloor becomes deeper.

What happens to the circular motion of water particles as depth increases?

• It becomes larger and faster.

• It remains constant throughout.

• It decreases and stops at the wave base.

• It changes to a straight line at greater depths.