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It varies considerably. In some cases water level fluctuations from what is technically a tsunami may be as small as a few inches and might not even be noticed by beach-goers. In some cases a tsunami may be over 100 feet high. Megatsunamis triggered by landslides and asteroid impacts may be thousands of feet high. The reason tsunamis are so destructive is more because of their wavelength. A tsunami will have a much longer wavelength than normal ocean waves and so carry a much larger volume of water. While a wind-driven wave usually washes in and out in a matter of seconds, a tsunami can continue to surge inward for several minutes. A normal ocean wave 10 feet high is of little consequence, but a 10 foot tsunami can severely inundate low-lying coastal communities.

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What happened to the wave height of a Tsunami as it approaches a Shoreline?

it gets higher


How does the speed of a tsunami wave change as it approaches the shore?

As a tsunami wave approaches the shore, its speed decreases due to the wave energy being compressed into a smaller space. This leads to an increase in wave height and impact force when the tsunami hits the coastline.


What angle a body is projected to get maximam height?

45 degrees


Why is a tsunami smaller when it begins at than when it reaches the shoreline?

As a tsunami travels across the ocean, it is in deeper water where its energy is spread out over a larger area, causing the wave height to be lower. As the tsunami approaches shallower waters near the shoreline, the wave slows down and the energy becomes concentrated, leading to an increase in wave height.


Why does tsunami wave grow so high when it reaches the shore?

When a wave is traveling in deep water, its bottom is at a set depth. As it comes ashore, the wave tries to stay the same wave height. since the land is denser than the water, the water is forced upward. That upward movement is the height of the tsunami.


What was the height of the highest tidal wave to hit japan?

The biggest tsunami was 85meters[statue of liberty]


How does the speed and wave height vary according to the depth of the ocean when there is a tsunami?

In deep ocean water, the speed of a tsunami can exceed 500 mph but the wave height may be only a few feet. As the tsunami approaches shallow water and the sea floor rises, the speed decreases while the wave height increases significantly. This is why tsunamis can cause devastating flooding and destruction when they reach the coastline.


How do you measure the strength of a tsunami?

The usual measure of a tsunami is the height of the wave just as it reaches the beach.


Why doesn't a tsunami wave break?

Tsunami waves have a much longer wavelength in proportion to their height than ordinary waves do. They are often miles long.


How is a tsunami wave detected?

A tsunami wave can be detected by a wave gauge and pressure monitors.


What happens to a tsunami as it nears the shore?

As a tsunami nears the shore, its speed decreases and its height increases, causing it to build up into a towering wave. This process is called shoaling. Once the tsunami reaches shallow water near the shoreline, the wave slows down further, causing it to amplify in height and potential destructive force.


When a tsunami hits the shore it can be very destructive because of its?

Wave height, ocean motion chapter in science text