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 ery long!period waes that moe
through the oceans because of the moon and sun
". What is a high tide? What is a low tide? #igh tide is when the crest of the wae
reaches a particular location, low tide is the same thing but with the lowest part of the
wae
$. What is tidal range? %he difference between low and high tide
What Causes Tides?
&. %ides are caused by the graitational attraction of what two celestial bodies? %he
sun and moon
'. What does (ewton)s law of uniersal graitational state? Basically the closer an
ob*ect is, the stronger its graity
+. Which celestial body has a greater effect on tidal forces on ,arth? %he -un
Gravity, Inertia, and the Two Bulges
.. #ow does the moon create a bulge? %he water is being bulled towards the moon
and inertia attempts to keep it in place but the graity is stronger causing a bulge.
1/. What causes a bulge to be created on the opposite side of the ,arth or the 0far
side1 from the moon? 2nertia is stronger than the moons graity and the water tries to
keep going in a straight line
Changing ngles and Changing Tides
11. 3escribe how changes in the relatie positions of the moon and sun change in
relation to the ,arth? 4er time, the positions of the sun and moon change relatie to
the ,arth)s equator. %he changes in their relatie positions hae 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?
2t is at its minimum during the ernal5spring6 and autumnal5fall6 equinoxes and is at
its maximum during the the summer and winter solstices
!requency o" Tides # The $unar %ay
17. 8ompare and contrast a solar and lunar day. #ow long is a lunar day? A solar day
is "9 hours and a lunar day is "9 hours and 7/ minutes because the moon reoles
around the ,arth in the same direction that the ,arth rotates around its axis
1&. Why do most coastal areas experience two high tides and two low tides? Because
,arth rotates through two tidal 0bulges1 eery lunar day
1'. #ow long does it take for high tide to occur? #ow long is the time between low
and high tide? #igh tide happens eery 1" hours and "7 minutes and takes about &
hours and 1".7 minutes for the tides to change from high to low or ice ersa
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 happen wheneer there is a full moon or a
new moon because the solar tide has an additie effect on the lunar tide, creating
extra!high high tides, and ery low, low tides.
(eap tides happen wheneer the sun and moon are at right angles to each other, the
solar tide partially cancels out the lunar tide and produces moderate tides.
3uring the lunar month there are two sets of spring tides and two sets of neap tides.
1.. #ow are tide!generating forces affected when the moon is closest to the ,arth 5or
perigee6? when the moon is farthest away from the ,arth 5or apogee6? #ow does this
affect the tides that are produced?
When the moon is closest to earth tide!generating forces are higher than usual,
producing aboe!aerage ranges in the tides. %hen in about two weeks when the moon
is farthest from the sun lunar tide!raising force is smaller, and the tidal ranges are less
than aerage
"/. #ow are tide!generating forces affected when the ,arth is closest to the sun 5or
perihelion6? when the ,arth is farthest from the sun 5or aphelion6? #ow does this
affect the tides that are produced? When ,arth is closest to the sun which occurs
about :anuary " of each calendar year, the tidal ranges are enhanced and on :uly " 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 mid!ocean islands?
When oceanic tidal bulges hit wide continental margins, the height of the tides can be
magnified. ;id ocean islands are not near continental margins so they experience
waes about 1 meter smaller
"". #ow does a funnel!shaped bay compare to a narrow inlet and shallow water?
(arrow inlets and shallow water also tend to dissipate incoming tides while a funnel
shaped bay increases the tidal waes
"$. What is the affect of strong tidal riers on tides in estuaries?
powerful seasonal rier flows in the spring can seerely alter or mask the incoming
tide
"9. What other abiotic factors affect tides? 8ompare and contrast wind and weather
patterns that affect tides. <ocal wind and weather patterns also can affect tides. -trong
offshore winds can moe water away from coastlines and onshore winds may act to
pile up water onto the shoreline