Waves, Tides, and Currents

Front

What is a tide?

Back

A tide is the regular rise and fall of sea levels caused by the gravitational forces of the moon and the sun.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

Front

What are high tides?

Back

High tides are the highest water levels that occur in the ocean, typically occurring twice a day.

Front

What are low tides?

Back

Low tides are the lowest water levels that occur in the ocean, typically occurring twice a day.

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 higher high tides and lower low tides.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

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 lower high tides and higher low tides.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

Front

What are surface currents?

Back

Surface currents are streamlike movements of water that occur at or near the surface of the ocean, primarily driven by wind.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Front

What are warm currents?

Back

Warm currents are ocean currents that carry warmer water from the equator towards the poles.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Front

What are cold currents?

Back

Cold currents are ocean currents that carry cooler water from the poles towards the equator.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Front

What is the Gulf Stream?

Back

The Gulf Stream is a warm surface current in the Atlantic Ocean that carries warm water from the Gulf of Mexico towards the North Atlantic.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Front

What is the Coriolis effect?

Back

The Coriolis effect is the deflection of moving objects, such as ocean currents, caused by the rotation of the Earth.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6