Answer :
Final answer:
An earthquake generates a tsunami by displacing the ocean floor, creating waves that travel outward from the quake's epicenter. The tsunami's speed increases in deep water but amplifies as it approaches the shore due to the shallow seabed. This process can lead to catastrophic impacts on coastal communities.
Explanation:
How Earthquakes Generate Tsunamis
An earthquake generates a tsunami primarily through the movement of the ocean floor. When an earthquake occurs under the ocean, it can displace large volumes of water, leading to the formation of waves that radiate outward from the epicenter of the quake.
Mechanism of Tsunami Generation
- Seafloor Displacement: If the earthquake happens at a tectonic plate boundary where one plate slips past another, it can lift or lower the seabed. This sudden vertical displacement can create large waves.
- Wave Propagation: The generated waves travel at high speeds across the ocean. In deep water, tsunami waves can travel at speeds of up to 500-800 km/h (310-500 mph) without losing much energy.
- Wave Amplification: As the waves approach shallower coastal waters, they slow down but increase in height, leading to potentially devastating impacts when they reach land.
For example, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami was caused by a massive undersea earthquake that resulted in significant seafloor displacement, generating a tsunami that affected several countries.
Learn more about Tsunami Generation here:
https://brainly.com/question/30669379
