Final answer:
A large ocean wave caused by a sudden shift in the seafloor is called a tsunami. It is typically triggered by underwater earthquakes, landslides, or volcanic eruptions.
Step-by-step explanation:
A large ocean wave caused by a sudden shift in the seafloor is called a tsunami. Tsunamis are typically triggered by underwater earthquakes, landslides, or volcanic eruptions.
When an undersea earthquake occurs, it can cause a sudden vertical movement of the seafloor, displacing a large volume of water and generating massive waves that travel across the ocean.
For example, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami was caused by an earthquake that had the energy equivalent to 23,000 atomic bombs. The resulting killer waves reached the coastlines of 11 countries, claiming the lives of 150,000 people and causing widespread destruction.