6.9B 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 is strongest on a particular area of the Earth, while low tides occur in areas where the gravitational pull is weaker.

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 the highest high tides and the lowest 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 and sun, resulting in the lowest high tides and the highest low tides.

Front

How many high tides occur in a day?

Back

Typically, there are two high tides and two low tides in a 24-hour period.

Front

What is the difference between spring and neap tides?

Back

Spring tides occur when the Earth and sun are in line with the new or full moon, while neap tides occur when the moon is in the first or third quarter.

Front

When do spring tides occur?

Back

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

Front

When do neap tides occur?

Back

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

Front

What is the effect of the sun on tides?

Back

The sun also exerts a gravitational pull on Earth, which affects tides, but its effect is less than that of the moon.

Front

What is the tidal range?

Back

The tidal range is the difference in height between high tide and low tide.