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What are the characteristics of tsunamis? A) They have a short wavelength and high amplitude - AQA - A-Level Geography - Question 5 - 2018 - Paper 1
Question 5
What are the characteristics of tsunamis? A) They have a short wavelength and high amplitude. They travel at low speed, at around 30 km/h. They decrease in height a... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:What are the characteristics of tsunamis? A) They have a short wavelength and high amplitude - AQA - A-Level Geography - Question 5 - 2018 - Paper 1
Step 1
B) They have a long wavelength and low amplitude. They travel at high speeds, sometimes over 700 km/h. Shallow water and the funnelling effect of bays dramatically increases height.
Answer
Tsunamis are characterized by their long wavelengths and relatively low amplitude when they are in deep water. They can travel at very high speeds, often exceeding 700 km/h. As they approach shallow waters, the energy of the wave gets compressed, resulting in an increase in wave height due to the funnelling effect of bays, which can lead to significantly higher and more destructive waves.