MS Chapter 11 Course Work - Tides

Are tides considered deep-water waves anywhere in the ocean? Why or why not?

A deepwater wave is where the ocean depth is at least half of the wavelength. Since the wavelength of tides is about 15,000 kilometers, it is impossible for the tides to be deepwater waves.

Describe the number of high and low tides in a lunar day, the period, and any inequality of the following tidal patters: diurnal, semidiurnal, and mixed.

A lunar day is the period of time it takes for the Earth to complete one full rotation on its axis with respect to the moon. In this period most places experience two high tides and two low tides. This pattern is called semi diurnal. Some places experience only one high tide and 1 low tide. This is called diurnal. Some places experience two highs and two lows but one of the high tides is significantly higher than the other and one of the low tides is lower than the other. This is called mixed.

Discuss the difference between rotary and reversing tidal currents.

A rotary current is a tidal current that is observed in the open ocean and makes one complete rotation during a tidal period, and a reversing tidal current occurs at the margins of landmasses. the water flows in and out for equal periods of time seperated by slack water where the water is still at high and low tidal extremes.

1. Explain why the Sun's influence on Earth's tides is only 46% that of the Moon's, even though the Sun is so much more massive than the Moon.

Although the sun is much larger than the moon and has much more gravitational power, the distance between the earth and the moon is extremely further than the distance between the earth and moon so much that it greatly dampens the effect of the suns gravity.

Why is a lunar day 24 hours and 50 minutes long, while a solar day is 24 hours long? This happens because the moon revolves around the Earth in the same direction that the Earth is rotating on its axis. Therefore, it takes the Earth an extra 50 minutes to catch up to the moon.

Although the sun is much larger than the moon and has much more gravitational power, the distance between the earth and the moon is extremely further than the distance between the earth and moon so much that it greatly dampens the effect of the suns gravity.

What is declination? Discuss the degree of declination of the Moon and Sun relative to Earth's Equator. What are the effects of declination of the Moon and Sun on the tides?

Declination is the angular distance of the sun or moon above or below earth's equatorial

Describe the spawning cycle of grunion, indicating the relationship between tidal phenomena, where grunion lay their eggs, and the movement of sand on the beach.

During the summer months for 3 or 4 days after the highest spring tides, grunion deposit their eggs on sandy beaches. the successively lower high tides during the approaching neap tides conditions won't wash the eggs from the sand until they are ready to hatch 10 days later. as the next spring tide is approached, successively, higher high tides whash the eggs free and allow them to hatch. the spawning cycle begins a few days later.

Discuss factors that help produce the world's greatest tidal range in the Bay of Fundy.

The Bay of Fundy, splits into two narrow passageways. the bay also narrows and shoals, along with the coriolis effect adding to the tides extreme range. It has the largest tidal range of the world because of standing waves that have a period near that of the forced ride wave resulting in constructive interface that produces significant increase in tidal range. The world's largest rides occur in the upper end of the Bay of Fundy, where reflection and amplification produce a maximum spring tidal range of 17 meters

Of flood current, ebb current, high slack water, and low slack water, when is the best time to enter a bay by boat? When is the best time to navigate in a shallow, rocky bay?

The best time to enter a bay by boat is during a flood tide, so larger boats can enter due to the enlarged depth, and the best time to navigate in a shallow rocky bay is during high tide.

Explain why the maximum tidal range (spring tide) occurs during new moon and full moon phases and the minimum tidal range (neap tide) at first-quarter and third-quarter moons.

This is when the Moon and Sun are either together in the sky or are on opposite sides of the heavens. Higher tides occur during these Moon phases because the Sun also exerts a gravitational pull on our oceans, although it is only 46 percent as strong as the Moon's. When the gravitational effects of the Sun and the Moon combine, we get spring tides, which have nothing to do with the season of spring. The term refers to the action of the seas springing out and then springing back. These are times of high high tides and low low tides. A week later, during either of the two quarter Moon phases, when the Sun and Moon are at right angles to each other and their tidal influences partially cancel each other out, neap tides occur, and the tidal range is minimal. In fact, because the oceans take a bit of time to catch up to the geometry of the Moon, spring and neap tides usually occur about a day after the respective lunar cycles.

If Earth did not have the Moon orbiting it, would there still be tides? Why or why not?

Yes, because the sun is also a factor in tides.