Tides Webquest

Part I: Background on Tides

Begin your information search by using your textbook and accessing
http://www.nos.noaa.gov/education/tides/welcome.html
As you read through the tutorial, answer the questions below that correspond to each
section of the tutorial.
What are Tides?
1. What is a basic definition of a tide?
Tides are very long-period waves that move through the oceans in
response to the forces exerted by the moon and sun.
. What is a high tide? What is a low tide?
When the highest part, or crest of the wave reaches a particular location,
high tide occurs; low tide corresponds to the lowest part of the wave, or
its trough.
!. What is tidal range?
The difference in height between the high tide and the low tide is called
the tidal range.
What Causes Tides?
". #ides are caused by the gra$itational attraction of what two celestial bodies?
#he %oon and the &un
'. What does (ewton)s law of uni$ersal gra$itational state?
The gravitational attraction between two bodies is directly proportional to
their masses, and inversely proportional to the square of the distance
between the bodies
*. Which celestial body has a greater effect on tidal forces on +arth?
#he %oon
Gravity, Inertia, and the Two Bulges
,. -ow does the moon create a bulge?
.t creates a bulge due to the gra$itational pull it has on the earth)s water
1/. What causes a bulge to be created on the opposite side of the +arth or the 0far
side1 from the moon?
#he inertia the water has. .t wants to keep mo$ing away from the earth, thus
creating the bulge.
Changing ngles and Changing Tides
11. 2escribe how changes in the relati$e positions of the moon and sun change in
relation to the +arth?
.t has a direct effect on how high the daily tides are.
1. At what point is the sun at its minimum declination and its maximum declination?
#he sun is at the minimum declination during the $ernal and autumnal
equinoxes, and at its maximum declination during the summer and winter
solstices.
!requency o" Tides # The $unar %ay
13. 4ompare and contrast a solar and lunar day. -ow long is a lunar day?
A lunar day is 5 hours and 3/ minutes
1". Why do most coastal areas experience two high tides and two low tides?
#hey experience two high tides and two low tides e$ery 5 hours and 3/ mins.
1'. -ow long does it take for high tide to occur? -ow long is the time between low
and high tide?
6ne high tide e$ery 1 hours and 3 mins. .t takes " hours and 1.3 mins for
the water at the shore to go from high to low, or low to high.
Tidal &ariations # The In"luence o" Position and %istance
1*. What causes spring tides? What causes neap tides? -ow many spring and neap
tides occur in a lunar month?
&pring tides are occur when the moon and the sun are lined up 7new or full
moon8
(eap #ides are occur when the sun and moon are at right angles from each
other.
&pring and (eap tides both occur twice in each lunar month
1,. -ow are tide9generating forces affected when the moon is closest to the +arth 7or
perigee8? When the moon is farthest away from the +arth 7or apogee8? -ow does this
affect the tides that are produced?
#he closer the moon gets to the earth, the larger the gra$itational pull is on the
earth, creating larger tides. #he opposite is true when the moon gets farther
from the earth.
/. -ow are tide9generating forces affected when the +arth is closest to the sun 7or
perihelion8? when the +arth is farthest from the sun 7or aphelion8? -ow does this
affect the tides that are produced?
#he closer we get to the sun, the larger the tidal range is. As we get farther
from the sun, the tidal range decreases.
What ""ects Tides in ddition to the 'un and (oon?
1. -ow are the magnitudes of tides affected by shorelines? By mid9ocean islands?
With wide continental margins, the height of the tides can be magnified.
While mid-oceanic islands experience very small tides.
. -ow does a funnel9shaped bay compare to a narrow inlet and shallow water?
A funnel9shaped bay will greatly increase the magnitude of the tides, while
shallow areas will slow it down, decreasing the tide.
!. What is the affect of strong tidal ri$ers on tides in estuaries?
Powerful seasonal river flows in the spring can severely alter or mas the
incoming tide.
5. What other abiotic factors affect tides? 4ompare and contrast wind and weather
patterns that affect tides.
!trong offshore winds can move water away from coastlines, increasing
the low tide exposures. "nshore winds can pile up water onto the
shoreline, getting rid of low tide exposures. #igh$pressure systems can
depress sea levels, leading to clear sunny days with exceptionally low
tides. %ow-pressure systems that contribute to cloudy, rainy conditions
typically are associated with tides than are much higher than predicted.