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?
he rising and falling of ocean water
!. What is a high tide? What is a low tide?
"igh tide is when the water is more inward towards land and low tide is when the
water is further towards the water
#. What is tidal range?
he difference in height between the high tide and low tide
What Causes Tides?
$. ides are caused by the gra%itational attraction of what two celestial bodies?
&un and 'oon
(. What does )ewton*s law of uni%ersal gra%itational state?
he gra%itational attraction between two bodies is directly proportional to their
masses
+. Which celestial body has a greater effect on tidal forces on ,arth?
&un
Gravity, Inertia, and the Two Bulges
-. "ow does the moon create a bulge?
As the moons gra%itational pull tries to pull water away from the ,arth inertia causes
it to create a bulge.
1.. What causes a bulge to be created on the opposite side of the ,arth or the /far
side0 from the moon?
When the water creates a straight line mo%ing away from ,arth it creates a bulge.
Changing ngles and Changing Tides
11. 1escribe how changes in the relati%e positions of the moon and sun change in
relation to the ,arth?
hese changes ha%e 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?
'inimum2 3ernal and Autumnal ,quinoxes
'aximum2 &ummer and Winter &olstices
!requency o" Tides # The $unar %ay
14. 5ompare and contrast a solar and lunar day. "ow long is a lunar day?
A solar day lasts !6 hours while a lunar day lasts !6 hours and 4. minutes
1$. Why do most coastal areas experience two high tides and two low tides?
he ,arth rotates through two tidal e%ery lunar day.
1(. "ow long does it take for high tide to occur? "ow long is the time between low
and high tide?
1! hours and !4 minutes apart from high tide to high tide there is a $ hour and 1!.4
minute period between high and low tide.
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 &un, 'oon and ,arth are all in alignment is when spring tides occur. What
causes neap tides is when the &un and 'oon are at right angles to each other.
1-. "ow are tide2generating 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?
ide generating forces are higher than usual when the moon is closet to the ,arth.
When the moon is farthest away from the ,arth the lunar tide raising force is smaller.
What ""ects Tides in ddition to the 'un and (oon?
!1. "ow are the magnitudes of tides affected by shorelines? By mid2ocean islands?
When bulges hit wider shorelines the height can be magnified and when a bulge hits
mid ocean islands there will be smaller tides.
!!. "ow does a funnel2shaped bay compare to a narrow inlet and shallow water?
9unnel shaped bays tend to dramatically change tidal magnitude. )arrow inlets and
shallow waters tend to dissipate tides.
!#. What is the affect of strong tidal ri%ers on tides in estuaries?
:owerful seasonal ri%er flows in the &pring can se%erely alter or mask tides.
!6. What other abiotic factors affect tides? 5ompare and contrast wind and weather
patterns that affect tides.
;ocal wind and weather patterns can affect tides. &trong winds can push tides
outwards while lower wind patterns can*t push tides out so they come in further.