2006-07-27 14:26:21 · 12 answers · asked by hase0987 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
A normal wave (ocean surface wave) is caused by wind, a tsunami is caused by an earthquake.
Tides are caused by gravitational pull, and the crest of a tide may be referred to as a tidal wave.
A normal tsunami is usually no higher than about 10-15 metres (about 33 feet) -- this is because this is generally the maximum any tectonic plate may rise along an oceanic fault, and the wave is proportional to this shift of the sea bed. Tsunamis higher than this are sometimes referred to as megatsunami, although this is more an anecdotal / media-driven term than an actual scientific term with an agreed-upon definition.
There is debate over whether a large wave caused by landslides, oceanic volcanoes or asteroid impacts should be called tsunamis or something else, but generally these are also lumped in with the quake-induced waves to be called tsunami.
2006-07-27 14:31:08 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
One crucial difference explains it all. A normal wave is a perturbation on the surface of the water, the perturbation travels in a given direction but it is an optical illusion. The water does not travel, only the wave.
A tsunami is a wave created by a mass displacement. For example the sea bed may shift by 1 metre at a depth of 3000 metres. Work out the millions of tons of water displaced by this. The wave is a mass wave travelling very fast (water is not really compressible) and when it hits the shoals it slows down but as a consequence it piles up into a huge wave, many meteres high, and the whole mass is thrown against the land.
I hope I have explained this well as there is so much muddle about what a tsunami is.
2006-07-27 21:05:37 · answer #2 · answered by andyoptic 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The horror of a tsunami is that the Earthquake generated wave is propulgated all the way to the ocean bed, whereas your normal wind driven waves are surface phenonenom until they break on the shore.
This means that the tsunami has the energy behind it of a wall of water as deep as the ocean. Even if a tsunami wave reaching the shore is no taller than a big surfing wave, it has so much energy behind it that it will push hundreds of metres inland.
Also, note that tsunami can be created by subsidence (as in the case of the Krakatoa eruption) and ocean impacts of asteroids.
2006-07-27 15:48:25 · answer #3 · answered by nick s 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A "normal" wave extends only a short distance below the surface. The energy contained within a tsunami wave extends to great depths below the surface.
2006-07-27 20:23:32 · answer #4 · answered by Chug-a-Lug 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Normal waves are caused by various factors like winds, the gravitational pull of the moon,etc. but a Tsunami is caused due to an earthquake occuring at the ocean floor.
The other factor is the hight of the Tsunami(20ft.)
2006-07-27 17:01:29 · answer #5 · answered by chinu 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
normal wave is caused by Wind, but Tsunami Wave is caused by a seaquake, that's usually starts with the decreasing of water level on the beach area, many fish will be laying arround on the ground, and about 5 to 15 minutes later the wave bigger than a four house hits the area with major force, and able to destroyed anything that's in it's path...
2006-07-27 14:39:16 · answer #6 · answered by erantzo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Normal wave is caused by gravitational pull among others but tsunami is caused by tremors beneath the sea bed.
2006-07-27 14:31:09 · answer #7 · answered by fahmey_eusoff 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
tsunami wave is deadly wave it kills without even asking the last wish
2006-07-31 03:28:47 · answer #8 · answered by stylish 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you can surf a wave and live
you can surf a tsunami, but chances are that you are going to get hurt, pretty badly
2006-07-27 15:37:23 · answer #9 · answered by Rajan 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
tsunami is caused by sea quake whereas normal wave is caused by wind.
2006-07-27 16:31:00 · answer #10 · answered by SUBASH K 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋