So I have been to multiple beaches this Summer and I have figured out that the waves are very different in each area. At first I thought it was because of the moon and it sort of was. What I figured out was that waves are formed by friction on the surface. Friction on the surface basically means anything moving across the surface causing the water to move around. If you have ever looked behind a moving boat you can see waves or wake. This is made by the boat moving over the surface of the water. Once the surface water starts moving it becomes faster than the water below it. As the water on top speeds up it creates an arch above the water. This arch is the curve in the waves you see and the one in the picture below. The more the surface water moves the bigger the wave! It can also be formed by underwater earthquakes. That is how the tsunamis are usually formed. In VA beach the waves weren't very good until the last day when it was really windy. Then the big waves were more frequent.
I just got back from a vacation from Hawaii. It was really fun! The beaches were beautiful with their white sand. Did you know that there are many colored beaches! Many people believe that sand is made through erosion. In some cases that is true, but in the ocean what is there to erode? Coral? Sure, but that can't account for all the sand made. Ever heard of the black sand beach? That sand was made when lava flowed into the water and literally exploded. These small particles became sand. Some of it eroded slightly. Most of the white sand you see is small shells and bits of dead marine life that has washed up on shore. Sometimes though it is made by fish. Parrot fish can produce hundreds of pounds of sand every year. Everything that goes in has to come out right? That stuff becomes sand. Gross! So these beautiful beaches are actually fish poop! FoilingI just visited San Francisco, CA to visit my grandparents. It just happens that they are hosting this years America's Cup. It is one of the oldest cups in history. It was really cool to see all the boats practicing for their races. They can go really fast! This is how they do it. If you watch sailing you might see foiling a little. When boats get to about 20 knots they can begin to foil. This is basically when the main body of the boat is out of the water and it is just being held up by a small surface. This is when the boat can reach its top speed. Here is a video showing some America's cup boats. |
BenI'm an eighth grader and want to share my love of science with others. Archives
December 2016
Categories |