In this activity, students use a shallow tray of water to demonstrate wave generation and behaviour.
By the end of this activity, students should be able to:
- demonstrate how surf and tsunami waves originate
- demonstrate how surf and tsunami waves interact with the ocean floor
- demonstrate how wave height (amplitude) is increased due to shoaling.
Download the Word file for:
- introduction/background notes
- what you need
- what to do
- discussion questions.
Nature of science
Models are a way of visualising something we cannot safely or directly observe. The wave tank model helps us to represent surf and tsunami waves, but not with complete accuracy.
The level 3 Connected article Building for the future looks at how a scientist uses scientific modelling and is working with others to build a safer future for a Samoan village.
