Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Year 10 Monday 21/2: The Science of Big Waves

Pre-viewing:
1. Where do ocean waves come from? What gets them started?
Ocean waves are started by wind far out in the ocean. Big storms notmally get them started because these generate hugh wind speeds. Energy enters the water from this wind, which creates waves.

2. What do you think a surfer should know about waves before they try and ride a wave while surfing?
Firstly, that they have no control over the wave , and its consequences can be catastrophic. The breaking of a wave can be explosive and also there can be many things under the surface of the water (E.g.rocks) that should be looked out for.

video questions

  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 form on a jagged reef, slowly rolling and then leaping out of the water like a crocodile. The waves rises up and catapult surfers
  1. Describe how waves are formed, how they originate, and how they are measured?
Waves are formed in the the North Pacific ocean in what is called the "wave factory", they are formed when wind imparts energy into the water in the form of surface going waves. Massive waves are formed when great big low pressure centres create a big pressure gradient. Waves are measured by wave height, the period (time from crest to crest) and the wave length (distance between the two peaks)
  1. What is a maverick wave and what is special about the way it is formed?
Maverick waves are huge waves formed at the spot known as "Mavericks", they are formed out in the deep ocean but as they come in the huge mass of them is compressed against the many rocks coming up from the ground and therefore the only way the water can go is up and therefore making a huge wave. What is special about Mavericks is shape of the ocean floor, random rocks from the bottom focusing waves on that spot


  1. How is energy stored and transferred during wave?
Energy is stored underneath the surface, in the deep water, and then explodes up as the water gets shallower.

  1. List any kind of advice given by the surfers about how to survive these “big waves.”
 - respect the size and danger of these waves
 - “Get in there, catch one, before the wrath of the gods comes down on you”
-first learn about the physical processes of a wave, it will help you understand



 

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