What Causes the ‘Waves’ in the Ocean and How Are They Different From Tsunamis?

What Are Waves?

Waves are like ripples on the surface of the ocean. They happen when wind pushes water, making it move up and down. It's like when you throw a stone in a pond, the water moves outward in circles.

What Is a Tsunami?

A tsunami is like a giant wave made by something big underwater, like an earthquake or a volcano. It starts far away and can grow really tall as it reaches the shore. Unlike regular waves, tsunamis don’t come one after another, they're more like a powerful rush of water all at once.

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Examples

A small stone dropped into a pond makes ripples, this is like how wind creates ocean waves.
A big rock falling into a pool causes a huge splash, this is like an earthquake creating a tsunami.
You can feel the push and pull of waves at the beach, but tsunamis are like a giant wall of water coming all at once.

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Categories: Science · ocean,waves,tsunami