GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Plunging waves are formed when the incoming swell hits a steep ocean floor or a sea bottom with sudden depth changes. As a result, the wave’s crest curls over and explodes on the trough. The air under the lip of the wave is compressed, and a crashing sound is often heard.

Detailed explanation-2: -A shore break is a wave that breaks directly on, or very close to the shore. This happens when the beach is very steep at the shoreline. These waves are really just a form of beach or reef break, but breaking very close to the shore.

Detailed explanation-3: -As waves move into shallower water, they contact the bottom and begin to move slower (see the Wave Energy and Wave Changes with Depth topic in the Waves unit). As waves slow down, they get closer together; their wave period shortens. This process is called shoaling, and it causes the height of waves to increase (Fig.

Detailed explanation-4: -countable noun. Breakers are big sea waves, especially at the point when they just reach the shore.

Detailed explanation-5: -Often breakers will start to curl forwards as they break. This is because the bottom of the wave begins to slow down before the top of the wave, as it is the first part to encounter the seafloor. So the crest of the wave gets “ahead” of the rest of the wave, but has no water underneath it to support it (Figure 10.3.