Seafloor Break Lifts the Sea
Age 11 · Science
Deep under the ocean, a fault in the rocky floor can slip in an instant. One block of rock jerks upward, shoving a huge amount of water up and sending waves racing outward across the surface.
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Age 11: open this week
Browse Age 11In the picture
- Crack in the seabed rock where the two blocks meet
- Rock block thrust upward above the other
- Mound of water pushed up above the raised rock
- Wave crests spreading outward across the surface
Examples
- Dropping a big stone into a pond makes rings of ripples spread to the shore.
- Jumping into a swimming pool pushes water outward in waves that slap the walls.
Key takeaways
- A tsunami starts when the seafloor moves and lifts the water above it.
- Out at sea the waves are low and far apart, but they grow tall near the shore.
Quiz: Seafloor Break Lifts the Sea (Age 11)
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What starts a tsunami?
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What happens to tsunami waves as they move from the open ocean toward the shore?
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In a tsunami caused by an undersea earthquake, what pushes the water upward?
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