List of tsunamis

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/list-of-tsunamis

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary trigger mechanism?Vertical displacement of the seafloor during underwater earthquakes, particularly at subduction zones
2. What causes a tsunami?Tsunamis happen when a large amount of water is suddenly moved, usually by an underwater earthquake that lifts or drops the sea floor. This sudden shift pushes the water above it, creating powerful waves.
3. How fast can a tsunami travel?In deep ocean water, tsunami waves can move about 700 to 800 kilometers per hour, almost as fast as a commercial airplane. They keep this speed until they reach shallower water.

Subduction Zone: An area where one tectonic plate slides beneath another, often leading to earthquakes and volcanic activity.
Bathymetry: The measurement and mapping of the depth of water in oceans, seas, and lakes.
Shoaling: The process by which tsunami waves increase in height and decrease in speed as they enter shallower coastal waters.
Tectonic Plate Boundaries: The edges where tectonic plates meet, characterized by significant geological activity like earthquakes and volcanism.