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 Earth.

Front

What causes high and low tides?

Back

High tides occur when the gravitational pull of the moon and sun is strongest, while low tides occur when their pull is weakest.

Front

What is a neap tide?

Back

A neap tide is a tide that occurs when the sun and moon are at right angles to each other, resulting in the lowest difference between high and low tides.

Front

What is a spring tide?

Back

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

Front

How many high tides occur in a day?

Back

Most coastal areas experience two high tides and two low tides each day.

Front

What phase of the moon occurs during a spring tide?

Back

Spring tides occur during the new moon and full moon phases.

Front

What phase of the moon occurs during a neap tide?

Back

Neap tides occur during the first quarter and last quarter phases of the moon.

Front

What is the role of the sun in tides?

Back

The sun's gravitational pull also affects tides, but its effect is less than that of the moon due to its greater distance from Earth.

Front

What is the difference between high tide and low tide?

Back

High tide is the maximum water level, while low tide is the minimum water level in the tidal cycle.

Front

How does the position of the moon affect tides?

Back

The position of the moon relative to Earth determines the strength of its gravitational pull, influencing the height of tides.