Science Concept A tsunami is caused by disruptions on the ocean floor. Earthquakes are the number one cause of tsunamis. When an earthquake occurs on the bottom of the ocean floor, it causes an uplifting wave that has the force of the earthquake, sometimes even more. When the earthquake happens on the seafloor, the waves go up and down and build up enough force to rise above sea level until the tsunami crashes down on an island or state and destroys houses and land.
Application The reason people study tsunami’s is because we need to get protection from their destruction. To prevent destruction from happening we need to learn more about how they happen and how to help prevent death. If we stopped studying tsunamis and a really big one hit and we weren’t prepared, people would die and there would be lots of damage. If we keep learning about tsunamis, we could have a protective system that would stop most the destruction.
Career Path A person who decides to go into the career of studying tsunamis and how they work is called a hydrologist. The average hydrologist makes about $90,000.00 a year. If you choose a career studying tsunamis, you will learn more about the earth’s structure. You can also be trained to detect nuclear explosions. If you become a Seismologist, you can study earthquakes and how they affect tsunamis.