Tsunamis · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Tsunamis

Science · Volcanoes & Earthquakes · ages 7-9
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. How fast can a tsunami travel across the open ocean?

    • Slower than a person walking
    • Hundreds of miles per hour, faster than a speeding car
    • About as fast as a bike ride

  2. What usually causes a tsunami to start?

    • An earthquake or eruption under the sea
    • Strong wind blowing over the ocean
    • Heavy rain falling on the ocean

  3. A tsunami can badly damage towns along the coast.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. Look at the graph. A car on the highway travels 100 miles per hour. A tsunami at sea travels 500 miles per hour. How many miles per hour faster is the tsunami?

    Highwaycar100Tsunami500

    Answer: ______________

  5. Deep under the ocean, an earthquake suddenly jolts the sea floor upward. What is most likely to happen next?

    • Nothing happens at the surface
    • The ocean becomes perfectly still
    • A tsunami may form and start moving toward the coast

  6. A tsunami rushes into a coastal town. What is most likely to happen?

    • The streets flood and buildings get damaged
    • The town gets a light, gentle rain
    • The tsunami turns into snow

  7. An earthquake happens under the ocean, far from any coast. Why might people on a nearby coastline have very little time to get to safety?

    • Because tsunamis move so slowly that no one notices them
    • Because tsunamis only happen once every hundred years
    • Because a tsunami can race across the ocean at hundreds of miles per hour

  8. Mateo says a tsunami is made by strong winds blowing across the ocean. What did Mateo get wrong?

    • Nothing, wind really does cause every tsunami
    • Tsunamis start from an earthquake or eruption under the sea, not wind
    • Tsunamis are actually made by rain falling into the ocean
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Tsunamis W1-mt_Wu-ftkzoiE-s1

  1. Hundreds of miles per hour, faster than a speeding car · In deep water, a tsunami can travel at hundreds of miles per hour, much faster than a car.
  2. An earthquake or eruption under the sea · Tsunamis begin when an earthquake or an eruption under the sea suddenly moves a huge amount of water.
  3. True · When a tsunami reaches land, it can flood streets, knock over cars, and damage buildings.
  4. 400 · 500 miles per hour minus 100 miles per hour leaves 400 miles per hour.
  5. A tsunami may form and start moving toward the coast · A sudden jolt of the sea floor can push a huge wall of water outward, starting a tsunami.
  6. The streets flood and buildings get damaged · A tsunami carries a huge amount of water onto land, which can flood streets and damage buildings.
  7. Because a tsunami can race across the ocean at hundreds of miles per hour · Even though the earthquake was far away, a tsunami can cross the ocean fast, giving people little warning time.
  8. Tsunamis start from an earthquake or eruption under the sea, not wind · Wind can make regular waves, but a tsunami starts from a sudden earthquake or eruption under the sea.
Worksheet · LightMySky