Tides

What is a solar day?

24-hour solar day is the time that it takes for a specific site on the Earth to rotate from an exact point under the sun to the same point under the sun.

What is a neap tide?

During the moon's quarter phases the sun and moon work at right angles, causing the bulges to cancel each other. The result is a smaller difference between high and low tides and is known as a neap tide. Neap tides are especially weak tides. They occur when the gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun are perpendicular to one another (with respect to the Earth). Neap tides occur during quarter moons. When the moon is at first or third quarter, then the moon and sun are exerting forces from two different directions and the overall effect on the water is less, so the high tides are lower than average and the low tides are higher than the average and we call these low tides 'neap' tides.

Why does the moon have a stronger effect on tides?

Even though the moon is much smaller than the sun, the moon's pull has a much more pronounced effect on the earth's oceans because it's closer than the sun.

What is an example of a location that has extreme tides?

Funnel-shaped bays in particular can dramatically alter tidal magnitude. The Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia is the classic example of this effect, and has the highest tides in the world—over 15 meters (Thurman, H.V., 1994). Narrow inlets and shallow water also tend to dissipate incoming tides. Inland bays such as Laguna Madre, Texas, and Pamlico Sound, North Carolina, have areas classified as non-tidal even though they have ocean inlets. In estuaries with strong tidal rivers, such as the Delaware River and Columbia River, powerful seasonal river flows in the spring can severely alter or mask the incoming tide.

Why are there 2 bulges on Earth when there is a high tide?

On the side of the earth that's facing the moon, the pull of gravity causes oceans to bulge outward. On the other side of the earth, the moon's pull on solid ground causes the oceans to bulge there, too. The earth rotates on its axis, and so this bulge is constantly changing location. The moon's gravity pulls the water closer. At the same time, the moon pulls the actual land closer as well. Thus, making a bulge on both sides: the side closest to the moon, and the side furthest away also! Short answer: Where the bulge is bigger, it's high tide. Where the water doesn't bulge, it's low tide.

What causes tidal bulge on two sides of the Earth at the same time?

The gravitational attraction between the Earth and the moon is strongest on the side of the Earth that happens to be facing the moon, because it is closer. This attraction causes the water on this "near side" of Earth to be pulled toward the moon. As gravitational force acts to draw the water closer to the moon, inertia attempts to keep the water in place. But the gravitational force exceeds it and the water is pulled toward the moon, causing a "bulge" of water on the near side toward the moon (Ross, D.A., 1995). On the opposite side of the Earth, or the "far side," the gravitational attraction of the moon is less because it is farther away. Here, inertia exceeds the gravitational force, and the water tries to keep going in a straight line, moving away from the Earth, also forming a bulge (Ross, D.A., 1995).

What affects tides in addition to the Sun and the Moon?

The shape of the shoreline, local wind and weather patterns also affect tides on a smaller scale.

What does the word tide mean?

The steady rise and fall of the ocean water levels is called the tide. Tides are caused by the pull of gravity between the earth, moon, and sun.

Define Low Tide

The time at which the water level in an ocean, gulf, or bay is at its lowest point. The ocean surrounding the earth's surface is pulled toward the moon. When the earth is also pulled towards the moon, the ocean on the opposite side of the planet bulges outward too. The earth begins to rotate beneath the ocean.Where the bulge is bigger, it's high tide. Where the water doesn't bulge, it's low tide.

Define High Tide

The time at which water level in an ocean, gulf, or bay is at its highest point. The ocean surrounding the earth's surface is pulled toward the moon. When the earth is also pulled towards the moon, the ocean on the opposite side of the planet bulges outward too. The earth begins to rotate beneath the ocean.Where the bulge is bigger, it's high tide. Where the water doesn't bulge, it's low tide.

What causes tides?

Tidal forces are based on the gravitational attractive force. The relationship between the masses of the Earth, moon and sun and their distances to each other play a critical role in affecting the Earth's tides. Although the sun is 27 million times more massive than the moon, it is 390 times further away from the Earth than the moon. Tidal generating forces vary inversely as the cube of the distance from the tide-generating object. This means that the sun's tidal generating force is reduced by 3903 (about 59 million times) compared to the tide-generating force of the moon. Therefore, the sun's tide-generating force is about half that of the moon, and the moon is the dominant force affecting the Earth's tides.

What is a spring tide?

When the moon is full or new, the gravitational pull of the moon and sun are combined. At these times, the high tides are very high and the low tides are very low. This is known as a spring high tide. Spring tides are especially strong tides (they do not have anything to do with the season Spring). They occur when the Earth, the Sun, and the Moon are in a line. The gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun both contribute to the tides. Spring tides occur during the full moon and the new moon.