Anatomy of a Wave

Waves travel thousands of miles to break upon a shore. Surfers travel thousands of miles just to get a chance at riding some of the biggest waves the oceans have to offer. Different locations have different styles of breaking waves.

A wave is the rhythmic rising and falling of ocean water due to wind or some other disturbing force. Waves transmit energy, rather than water, across the oceans. The stronger and longer the wind blows, the larger the wave becomes. Waves can also form from displacement of ocean water. This is the case with earthquake-generated wave, such as tsunami. Tsunami are actually seismic sea waves that form from the dispersement of energy and subsequent displacement of water from a geological event, such as an earthquake or volcano. Gravity causes waves as well. These waves are called tides. Lastly, waves can form internally from differences in density.

What exactly is a wave? How do they break? Are there different types? In this interactivity, you will learn about the parts of a wave and various types of waves. Click the player button to get started.

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Anatomy of a Wave Review

Now that you have explored the anatomy of a wave, review your knowledge. In this non-graded interactivity, follow the instructions on each question slide. Click SUBMIT to check your results. Click the player button to begin.