Can you create a tsunami on a tabletop? Real tsunamis form when the sea floor shifts during an undersea earthquake.
You build a small wave tank about 70 cm long. A hinged flap sits on the bottom at one end. Pulling a wire lifts the flap quickly. This mimics a sudden sea-floor shift and sends a wave down the tank.
Slope the far end of the tank upward so the water gets shallow. Watch how the wave height increases as it moves into shallower water, just like a real tsunami approaching the coast.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that a wave tank can be used to simulate an undersea earthquake and demonstrate what causes a tsunami.
Tsunamis form when the sea floor shifts fast, pushing a massive volume of water upward. A hinged flap in a wave tank mimics this sudden sea-floor shift. Wave height increases as the wave moves into shallower water, just like a tsunami approaching the coast.
Wave propagation moves energy through water without carrying the water itself forward. In a wave tank, a hinged flap mimics a sudden sea-floor shift. This sends a wave down the tank, showing how energy travels through shallow water and grows taller near shore.
Waves slow down and grow taller as water depth decreases. A sloped wave tank shows this clearly. The slope makes the water get shallow at one end. A wave sent down the tank increases in height as it reaches that shallow zone. This mirrors how a real tsunami grows as it approaches the coast.
Method & Materials
You will construct a wave tank, make a flap from perspex or wood, and attach a piece of thick wire to the flap.
You will need a wave tank (70cm long x 40cm wide x 10cm deep), perspex or wood, a hinge, and a piece of thick wire.
Eureka Crate — engineering & invention kits for ages 12+ — monthly projects that build real-world skills. (Affiliate link)
Through this experiment, you can observe how a wave tank can be used to simulate an undersea earthquake and demonstrate what causes a tsunami. The most interesting observation is how the wave height increases as it approaches the coastal shallows.
Why do this project?
This science project is unique because it allows students to build a wave tank and simulate an undersea earthquake to understand the science behind tsunamis.
Also Consider
Experiment variations to consider include changing the size of the flap and the water depth.
Full project details
Additional information and source material for this project are available below.
