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?
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?
he 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$itational attraction of what two celestial bodies?
he !un and "oon
%. What does &ewton's law of uni$ersal gra$itational state?
#ravitational attraction between two bodies is directly proportional to their
masses, and inversely proportional to the s$uare of the distance between the bodies.
(. Which celestial body has a greater effect on tidal forces on )arth?
he moon
Gravity, Inertia, and the Two Bulges
*. +ow does the moon create a bulge?
he gravitational force exceeds it and the water is pulled toward the moon,
causing a %bulge& of water on the near side toward the moon.
1,. What causes a bulge to be created on the opposite side of the )arth or the -far
side. from the moon?
'ere, inertia exceeds the gravitational force, and the water tries to (eep going
in a straight line, moving away from the )arth, also forming a bulge.
Changing ngles and Changing Tides
11. /escribe how changes in the relati$e positions of the moon and sun change in
relation to the )arth?
he changes in their relative positions have a direct effect on daily tidal
heights and tidal current intensity.
1. At what point is the sun at its minimum declination and its maximum declination?
*uring the vernal and autumnal e$uinoxes+"arch ,- and !eptember ,.,
respectively+the sun is at its minimum declination because it is positioned directly
above the e$uator. /n 0une ,- and *ecember ,,+the summer and winter solstices,
respectively+the sun is at its maximum declination.
!requency o" Tides # The $unar %ay
10. 1ompare and contrast a solar and lunar day. +ow long is a lunar day?
1 lunar day lasts ,2 hours and 34 minutes.
1". Why do most coastal areas experience two high tides and two low tides?
5ecause the )arth rotates through two tidal %bulges& every lunar day, coastal
areas experience two high and two low tides every ,2 hours and 34 minutes.
1%. +ow long does it take for high tide to occur? +ow long is the time between low
and high tide?
6t ta(es six hours and -,.3 minutes for the water at the shore to go from high
to low, or from 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?
When the sun, moon, and )arth are in alignment 7at the time of the new or full
moon8, the solar tide has an additive effect on the lunar tide, creating extra-high high
tides, and very low, low tides+both commonly called spring tides. *uring each lunar
month, two sets of spring tides and two sets of neap tides occur
1*. +ow are tide2generating forces affected when the moon is closest to the )arth 3or
perigee4? when the moon is farthest away from the )arth 3or apogee4? +ow does this
affect the tides that are produced?
/nce a month, when the moon is closest to the )arth 7at perigee8, tide-
generating forces are higher than usual, producing above-average ranges in the tides.
1bout two wee(s later, when the moon is farthest from the )arth 7at apogee8, the
lunar tide-raising force is smaller, and the tidal ranges are less than average.
,. +ow are tide2generating forces affected when the )arth is closest to the sun 3or
perihelion4? when the )arth is farthest from the sun 3or aphelion4? +ow does this
affect the tides that are produced?
/ccurs between the )arth and the sun. When the )arth is closest to the sun
7perihelion8, which occurs about 0anuary , of each calendar year, the tidal ranges
are enhanced. When the )arth is furthest from the sun 7aphelion8, around 0uly ,, the
tidal ranges are reduced
What ""ects Tides in ddition to the 'un and (oon?
1. +ow are the magnitudes of tides affected by shorelines? By mid2ocean islands?
When oceanic tidal bulges hit wide continental margins, the height of the tides
can be magnified.
. +ow does a funnel2shaped bay compare to a narrow inlet and shallow water?
9unnel-shaped bays in particular can dramatically alter tidal magnitude.
:arrow inlets and shallow water also tend to dissipate incoming tides.
!. What is the affect of strong tidal ri$ers on tides in estuaries?
6n estuaries with strong tidal rivers, such as the *elaware ;iver and
<olumbia ;iver, powerful seasonal river flows in the spring can severely alter or
mas( the incoming tide.
5. What other abiotic factors affect tides? 1ompare and contrast wind and weather
patterns that affect tides.
=ocal wind and weather patterns also can affect tides. !trong offshore winds
can move water away from coastlines, exaggerating low tide exposures. /nshore
winds may act to pile up water onto the shoreline, virtually eliminating low tide
exposures. 'igh-pressure systems can depress sea levels, leading to clear sunny days
with exceptionally low tides. <onversely, low-pressure systems that contribute to
cloudy, rainy conditions typically are associated with tides than are much higher than
predicted.