Shallow Water Effect
Shallow Water Effect is how waves slow down and grow taller as they move into shallow water near shore.
Think of it this way
Pour water slowly into a shallow baking tray tilted at one end. Ripples near the deep end move fast and stay low. As they reach the shallow end, the ripples bunch up, slow down, and rise taller. The tray shows how ocean waves behave as the seafloor rises toward shore.
Explaining shallow water effect by grade level
Think about waves in a wave tank. In deep water, waves move fast and stay low. When the water gets shallow, the waves slow down and bunch up. That makes them rise up tall, just like a tsunami near the coast.