WAVE MOTION
Bob, bob, Waves roll across the sea, but they don’t actually move the water bobbing!
forwards. Waves are a kind of energy moving through the water. As a wave passes by, the water just moves up and down – and so do any birds or boats sitting on it.
In shallow water near the shore, waves start to drag on the seabed. That makes them tip forward and break.
MAKING WAVES!
Make your own mini ocea n and watch waves in slow mo tion! Do this in a bathroom or kitchen, where any spilla ges can be cleaned up easily .
Yo u will need
large empty (but clean) clear A plastic or glass bottle (with lid) Pale-coloured cooking oil – enough to fill the bottle 2/3 full W ater J ug F unnel Blue food colouring
What you do 1. Fill the bottle about 2/3 full of oil using the funnel. 2. Fill the jug with water and add a few drops of blue food colouring. 3. Using the funnel, add the water to the bottle until it’s full to the brim (if there’s not enough, mix up some more blue water in the jug). 4. Now put the lid on tightly and lie the bottle on its side.
TSUNAMI!
A tsunami happens when something makes a lot of seawater move suddenly, such as an undersea earthquake. This makes a giant ripple-shaped wave that spreads out in all directions.
© R.M. Nunes / Shutterstock.com
Tsunami waves are long, low and very fast. Out at sea, they are not obvious. But near the shore, the water piles up and floods onto the land. A big tsunami can wash away people, vehicles and even buildings.
5. Wait for your ocean to settle, then quickly lift up the lid end of the bottle and put it back down. This creates a wave that should travel along the bottle. The oil slows it down, making it easier to see.
Try this
Try floating a berry on the layer of water. Does it move up and down or side to side when you make a wave?
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