The Science of Big Waves - Classwork

Pre-Viewing:

1. Where do Ocean Waves come from? What gets them started?

Ocean waves generally come from deep out at sea where the wind blows the water, which creates a swell which will then create the waves.

2.What do you think a surfer should know about waves before they try and ride a wave while surfing?
I think a surfer should know how waves work and when and where they will break. They should also be aware of the dangers from the wave.



Questions for the Video:

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 that I viewed in the video are very large. They usually break when they are over 10 feet high and they form a large tube as the wave breaks.
2. Describe how waves are formed, how they originate, and how they are measured? Waves can form, especially the maverick waves, over thousands of kilometers away. The surge of energy travels under the water which powers the wave. This energy is generally created by winds blowing on the water, pushing the water in a direction and therefore making the energy of the wave. Waves are measured usually in Periods, wave height and wave length.
3. What is a maverick wave and what is special about the way it is formed? These waves only happen when the conditions are right. They are formed in the Wave Factory, around the Gulf of Alaska. Wind pushes energy into the Ocean, and the waves form and travel thousands of kilometers to the coast of Northern California.  They are formed in a special way where the wave hits the rocks at the tip of the reef, slowing the wave,  and the converging waves break on the shore after the energy has been concentrated on one point.
4. How is energy stored and transferred during wave? Energy is stored in the bottom of the wave, where the energy twirls the water and then transfers it along, allowing the wave to travel thousands of kilometers.
5. List any kind of advice given by the surfers about how to survive these “big waves.” The big wave surfers know the general physics of the waves and how they operate. They also know that the wave gets a whole lot bigger just before it breaks. They are very cautious and don't surf the wave unless they are fully confident they can handle the extreme force and pressure of the wave. They are also aware of the dangers of the wave, and that severe injury or death can occur.