Previous Literature
When coming up with a topic to choose our group naturally turned to Science. Misconceptions that are easy to identify are mainly scientific in nature. We discussed many topics from what causes earthquakes? to why do humans get goosebumps? We had to make sure that our topic was something that had been taught, but may have been misunderstood. Our topic also had to be something that people do not generally known. The earthquake question was one we thought our interviewee’s would have a solid understanding of. We are taught plate tectonics and many people hear about earthquakes through the media. We discussed why humans get goosebumps but through our thinking, realized that this was just a lack of knowledge and was not a misconception.
With further research on common misconceptions we decided to go with what causes ocean waves? We went with this as we are taught about waves in school as part of the elementary earth science standards. Most people have also experienced seeing waves in person or through different media forms such as movies and the news. Waves are caused by wind transferring energy by creating friction between the wind and the water. Try blowing across the surface of water in a glass to see what happens.
With further research on common misconceptions we decided to go with what causes ocean waves? We went with this as we are taught about waves in school as part of the elementary earth science standards. Most people have also experienced seeing waves in person or through different media forms such as movies and the news. Waves are caused by wind transferring energy by creating friction between the wind and the water. Try blowing across the surface of water in a glass to see what happens.
In our topic, ocean waves are referring to the waves that occur off the shoreline. When people think of ocean waves, they mainly think of the waves that crash onto the shoreline. In thinking about that type of wave, we think that people confuse this with tides. “Tides are the cyclic rising and falling of Earth's ocean surface caused by the tidal forces of the Moon and the Sun acting on the Earth” (Science Daily, 2014).
In our project, we are going to see if this misconception hypothesis is true. Please click through the rest of our website to see our interviews, results, and summary of our findings.
References:
Science Daily. (2014). Tides. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/t/tide.htm.
U.S. Department of Commerce, National Data Buoy Center. (2002). What Causes Ocean Surface Waves?. Retrieved from http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/educate/pacwave.shtml
References:
Science Daily. (2014). Tides. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/t/tide.htm.
U.S. Department of Commerce, National Data Buoy Center. (2002). What Causes Ocean Surface Waves?. Retrieved from http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/educate/pacwave.shtml