A wave is a disturbance that transmits energy from one location to another. In the ocean, most waves are created by the action of the wind over the surface. The interaction of the waves with the bottom near the shore causes the waves to break. Larger waves such as tsunamis are caused by landslides and earthquakes.

This Reading elaborates on the concepts presented in the Activities: Water: The Sum of Its Parts; The Ocean; The Tides: A Balance of Forces; Waves; and The Ocean: A Global View from Project Earth Science: Physical Oceanography, Revised 2nd Edition. Although the Reading was written especially for this volume with the teacher in mind, students should also be encouraged to read them for both interest and additional study.