Tides

Front

What are tides?

Back

Tides are the regular rise and fall of sea levels caused by the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun on the Earth.

Front

How often do tides occur?

Back

Tides generally alternate from high to low twice a day, resulting in two high tides and two low tides.

Front

What is the average time between high and low tides?

Back

The average time between high and low tides is about 6 hours.

Front

What causes tides?

Back

Tides are caused by the interaction of Earth, the moon, and the sun.

Front

What is a spring tide?

Back

A spring tide is a tide that occurs when the Earth, moon, and sun are aligned, resulting in higher high tides and lower low tides.

Front

What is a neap tide?

Back

A neap tide is a tide that occurs when the moon is at a right angle to the Earth-sun line, resulting in lower high tides and higher low tides.

Front

What role does the moon play in tides?

Back

The moon's gravitational pull creates bulges in the Earth's oceans, leading to high tides on the side of the Earth facing the moon.

Front

What role does the sun play in tides?

Back

The sun also exerts a gravitational pull on the Earth's oceans, but its effect is less than that of the moon, contributing to the overall tidal patterns.

Front

What is the difference between high tide and low tide?

Back

High tide is the maximum level of the sea, while low tide is the minimum level of the sea.

Front

What is the term for the gravitational pull of the moon and sun on Earth?

Back

The term is 'gravity'.