Waves in the ocean are caused by various factors, including wind, the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun, earthquakes, and underwater landslides. The most common cause of waves is wind, which creates friction between the wind and the surface of the water, causing ripples that grow into larger waves as the wind continues to blow. Waves transmit energy, not water, through the ocean, and if unhindered, waves can cross an entire ocean basin. When waves reach the shore, the shallow floor begins to run into their base, slowing their deeper parts, causing the wave to stand up, pitch forward, and eventually break.

Other types of waves can be caused by severe weather, such as a hurricane, which creates storm surges, a series of long waves that are created far from shore in deeper water and intensify as they move closer to land. Underwater disturbances that displace large amounts of water quickly, such as earthquakes, landslides, or volcanic eruptions, can cause very long waves called tsunamis. Tsunamis are not the types of waves that crash down on the shore but rather roll upon the shore like a massive sea level rise and can reach far distances inland.

In summary, waves in the ocean are caused by a variety of factors, but the most common cause is wind, which creates friction between the wind and the surface of the water, causing ripples that grow into larger waves as the wind continues to blow.