Tsunamis

Question 1

What is a tsunami?

Answer 1

Tsunamis are huge sea waves that manage to reach the land and cause destruction and death.

Question 2

How do they happen?

Answer 2

They happen due to underwater earthquakes.

Question 3

What was the tsunami we have been studying?

Answer 3

The Indian Ocean Tsunami (in North eastern Japan) on 26th December 2004.

Question 4

True or false: “A sudden earthquake moves the sea bed upwards.”

Answer 4

True

Question 5

True or false: “The upthrust make vast amounts of water sit still.”

Answer 5

False – the upthrust displaces the waves, making them strike the land violently.

Question 6

True or false : “A 500mph wave train spreads out from the fault line.”

Answer 6

False –they spread out from the epicentre.

Question 6

True or False: “The tsunami wave gains 5-10 metres in deep water as it collided with land.”

Answer 6

False– they gain up 5-10 metres in shallow water.

Question 7

How would you reduce the risk of destruction due to a tsunami?

Answer 7

1• Create tsunami walls that stop the tsunami waves right in its tracks.
2• Send a life buoy on top of the waves and check if there are any signs of huge waves.

Question 8

Where would the walls be placed?

Answer 8

Where the waves are most likely to hit.