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Ocean Tides

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Lloyd Kauseni
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22 views10 pages

Ocean Tides

Uploaded by

Lloyd Kauseni
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Ocean Tides

Objectives
1. Defining ocean tides
2. Cycles of a Tide
3. Tides and the moon
4. Tidal currents
5. Tidal Range
Tides are the rise and fall of the levels of
the ocean.

They are caused by the gravitational pull


of the Sun and Moon as well as the
Introduction rotation of the Earth.
Cycles of a Tide
• Tides cycle as the Moon rotates around the Earth and as the position of the
Sun changes.
• Throughout the day these a level is constantly rising or falling.
• This cycle can happen once or twice a day depending on the location of the
area to the Moon.
• Tides that happen once a day are called diurnal.
• Tides that happen twice a day are called semidiurnal. Because the Earth
rotates in the same direction as the Moon, the cycle is actually slightly longer
than a day at 24 hours 50minutes
Tides and the Moon

• The location of the Moon has the


biggest affect on the tide.
• The gravity of the Moon causes a high
tide both on the side of the Earth
directly below the Moon(sublunar
tide) and the opposite side of the
Earth (antipodal).
• Low tides are on the sides of the Earth
90 degrees away from the Moon
T id a lC u ren ts

• When the sea level is rising or falling, water is flowing


to or from the ocean. This flow causes currents called
tidal currents.
• Flood current - A flood current occurs as the sea level
is rising towards high tide. Water is flowing towards
the shore and away from the ocean.
• Ebb current - An ebb current occurs as the sea level is
dropping towards low tide. Water is flowing away from
the shore and towards the ocean.
• Slack water - At the exact time of high tide or low tide
there is no current. This time is called slack water.
Tidal Range
• The tidal range is the difference in sea
level between low tide and high tide.
• The tidal range will vary in different
locations depending on the location of
the Sun and the Moon as well as the
topography of the shore line
Types of Tides
High - High tide is the point in the tidal cycle where the sea level is at its highest.
Low - is the point in the tidal cycle where the sea level is at its lowest.
Spring - occurs when the Sun and the Moon are aligned to combine for the largest tidal
range of the highest high tide and the lowest low tide.
Neap - is when the tidal range is at its smallest. This occurs during the first and third
quarters of the Moon.
Semidiurnal - one where there are two high and two low tides each day.
Diurnal - is one where there is only one high and one low tide during a day.
Interesting Facts about Tides
1. The same tidal forces that cause tides in the oceans affect the solid
Earth causing it to change shape by a few inches.
2. There are typically two spring tides and two neap tides each month.
3. In a semidiurnal cycle the high and low tides occur around 6 hours
and 12.5 minutes apart.
4. Local factors such as weather can also affect the tides.
5. The energy from tidal forces can be harnessed for electricity using
tidal turbines, fences, or barrages.

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