The Science of Big Waves

Pre-viewing:

1. Where do ocean waves come from? What gets them started?

The waves begin thousands of miles off the coast and are created by wind, fetch and duration. This constant force drives energy through the water as they increase in size and strength.

2.      What do you think a surfer should know about waves before they try and ride a wave while surfing?

A surfer should know about the intensity and speed of waves before they try to ride it as some can rock tectonic plates. They should understand that the height and intensity of waves is just way to overwhelming for a basic surfer.

Question 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.

When wind increases waves are formed which increase in size and strength when approaching the shore line. The energy within the waves form constant cycles beneath the water as it moves. When this energy hits low land, the cycles are compressed causing the wave to increase in height, strength and intensity creating a long wavelength.

2. Describe how waves are formed, how they originate, and how they are measured?

Waves are formed when the climate is just right, thousands of miles from the impact zone. The wind and fetch intensifies resulting in waves which approach coastlines. Waves are measured by three things: Wave Height, Wave Length and Period (the time between two waves)

3. What is a maverick wave and what is special about the way it is formed?

A maverick wave is a wave which crashes on the California coast in Maverick. These waves are formed by Low Pressure Systems in the South and High Pressure Systems in the North during November, December, January and February. In-between these two pressure systems, the intensifying waves gather strength. In Maverick, there is a large layer of rocks near the shore which is what creates these mammoth waves

4. How is energy stored and transferred during wave?

When wind, fetch and duration pick up, energy is densely stored under the water in a chain of circular cycles. When this energy hits the coast, it turns into enormous amounts of kinetic energy as the water falls under the weight of gravity into swash.

5. List any kind of advice given by the surfers about how to survive these “big waves.”

When surfing, be extremely careful to be at the right position to surf as these large waves can shake a continent. If you have to wait for another wave, do so, you don’t want to take a risk with these monsters and be caught under the wrath of the Gods.