3_Making-waves-in-a-bottle-Aquila-Magazine-Activity | Page 2

AQUiLA MAGAZINE

MANGA

STEP 3 :

You ’ ll find that the oil settles on top of the water . It is less dense than the water , that ’ s why it floats on top .

STEP 4 :

Screw the cap firmly onto the bottle , then turn the bottle onto its side and swish it from side to side like a see-saw ( see figure 2 ). The waves inside the bottle will behave like ocean waves . They are bigger at one end than the other . Like ocean waves , longer waves travel faster than shorter waves before friction from the bottom of the bottle make them disappear .

LEVEL UP

Waves at sea are not only affected by the wind . They are also subject to tides and currents . Water temperature and its salinity ( saltiness ) can also play a part , as can the shape of the coastline when they reach land . What do you think would happen if you repeated your experiment but replaced fresh water with very salty water ?