1.1.2:temporal variations influence on coastal environments Flashcards
Rapid processes
3
tides
waves
currents
Tides motion
Periodic rises and falls
High tide
When the earth’s surface is close to the moon it pulls on the water and causes it to rise = high tide
Low tide
When the earth’s surface is further from the moon, the impacts of this gravitational pull is less = low tide
Spring tide
Big tide
When the sun, moon and earth are all in a straight line = the tide raising force is the strongest
Neap tide
Twice a month, little tide, the moon and sun are positioned at 90 degrees to each other in relation to the earth
The Earth orbits the sun
365 days = one orbit
The moon orbits the earth
28 days
Diurnal
daily
semi-diurnal
2 high tides and 2 low tides a day approx.
every 24 hours
diurnal tides
1 high tide and 1 low tide a day
Tidal ranges
3
macro-tidal
meso-tidal
micro-tidal
Macro-tidal
more than 4m
Meso-tidal
2 to 4m
Micro-tidal
less than 2m