Classwork / Homework

Waves and Tides

1. Name the parts of a wave.

Wave Length
A. ___________

Wave Length

Crest

Wave Height
B. ___________
Crest
C. ___________
Trough
D. ___________

Wave Height
Trough

2. What causes waves?

Mostly wind, earthquakes (tsunamis)
volcanic eruptions, and landslides.
3. What causes surface currents to move?
Wind, Coriolis Effect, Deflection
off Continents.
4. What causes tides to rise and fall?
Mostly due to the MOONs gravity.
Gravity between Earth, Moon, and Sun

5. At which moon positions would a spring tide occur?

A and C
6. At which moon positions would a neap tide occur?

B and D

Spring
Tide

Neap
Tide

7. What type of tide is illustrated? Spring tide or Neap tide?

Neap Tide
8. In the boxes, write H for high tide, L for low tide
High tide always follows the MOON.
H
L

L
H

Neap
Tide

9. What type of tide is illustrated? Spring tide or Neap tide?

Spring Tide
10. In the boxes, write H for high tide, L for low tide
High tide always follows the MOON.

L
H

H
L

Spring
Tide

What type of tide is at: (High or Low tide)

L

11. Position 1? Low tide

12. Position 2? High tide
13. Position 3? Low tide
14. Position 4? High tide
High and low tides depend
on the moons position only.
Spring and Neap tide depend
on Earth, Moon, and the Sun.

H
L

1
2
3
4
5

6
7
8

Waves,
Currents

Fill in the vocabulary words next to

their definitions
Movement of water caused by wind blowing
across the oceans surface

Moon
Gravity
Tides
Spring
Tide
Neap
Tide
Crest
Trough

The object in space that has the most

influence on Earths tides
The invisible force that causes tides to occur
on Earth. This force keeps the universe
together
The rising and falling of the ocean water level
The tide that occurs when the Moon, Earth,
and the Sun are aligned straight. This causes
highest and the lowest tides
Type of tide: Moon, Earth, and the Sun are
aligned at a right angle. This causes tides to
be not very high, not very low.
The highest point of a wave
The lowest point of a wave

9
10
11
12
13
14

Wave
Height
Wave
Length
Coriolis
Effect
Salinity
Gulf
Stream
Denser

The vertical (up and down) distance of

distance from the crest and the trough
The horizontal (side to side) distance of
distance from one crest to the next crest
Earths spin causes the winds and surface
currents to curve
Another word for saltiness of something.
How salty something is.
The warm ocean current that runs from the
Gulf of Mexico along the eastern coast of the
United States
Heavier, _______ water will sink and flow under
warm water

15

Motion

Waves, currents, and tides are all forms of

oceans _______.

16

Energy

Stronger winds transfer more______, so the

waves are bigger

17

Wind

The main cause of surface currents