Wave tank

A wave tank is like a big bathtub filled with water. Instead of taking a bath, we use it to study how waves move and how they interact with objects in the water, like boats or shorelines.

Imagine you're at the beach and you see waves coming in. The wave tank is similar, but instead of sand on the bottom, there are plates that can move up and down to create different types of waves. Scientists can use the wave tank to simulate ocean conditions and study how big waves behave, which can help people understand how to build boats and structures that can handle them.

Sometimes scientists put model boats or structures in the wave tank to see how they handle the waves. They can also study different materials to see which ones are best for building ocean structures such as oil rigs or wind turbines.

So, just like playing with toys in the bath helps you learn, scientists use the wave tank to study how water and waves move, which can help us learn how to build better things that can handle those rough ocean conditions.