The Science of Surfing Quiz

What force counteracts the weight of the surfer and the board, allowing them to stay afloat?

• Frictional force

• Magnetic force

• Centripetal force

• Buoyant force

What causes the growth of ripples that become ocean waves?

• Tidal force

• Gravitational force

• Wind force

• Electromagnetic force

What effect does the shallower seafloor near the shore have on the motion of waves?

• It absorbs the waves

• It decelerates the waves

• It refracts the waves

• It accelerates the waves

What action does the surfer take as the wave gets near in order to catch it?

• Pivot the board in the opposite direction

• Jump off the board

• Paddle against the wave

• Pivot the board in the same direction

What forms the waves' characteristic curls or jets as they break along the shore?

• Gravity

• Tidal force

• Wave-induced pressure

• Wind force

What creates massive waves sought by surfers in locations like Nazare, Portugal or Mavericks, California?

• Underwater volcanoes

• Underwater earthquakes

• Underwater canyons

• Underwater glaciers

Where do some of the waves surfed in sunny California originate from?

• The Arctic Ocean

• The Atlantic Ocean

• The Indian Ocean

• The South Pacific

What continuous oscillation of energy has shaped our universe since its very beginning?

• Sound waves

• Electromagnetic waves

• Light waves

• All of the above

What is the term for the point where a wave breaks?

• Crest

• Trough

• Break point

• Wavefront

What is the effect of wind on the formation of waves?

• Wind has no effect on wave formation

• Wind decreases the size of waves

• Wind increases the size of waves

• Wind changes the direction of waves