Chapter 3 Flashcards
what forces generate a wave?
wind, earthquakes, landslides, ice breaking off glaciers (not gravity)
smallest wind-generated waves
capillary waves
evenly spaced waves with smoothly rounded crests and troughs
swells
most favorable conditions for wave formation
between 40-50 degrees South
force that causes water surface to go back to undisturbed state
restoring
a wave has two different types of energy
potential and kinetic
the speed of shallow water depends on
depth
distance between two consecutive crests or troughs
wavelength
type of wave generated bu wind, restored by gravity, & travels in a particular direction
progressive wind waves
tsunamis
shallow water waves caused by earthquakes
internal waves can form
pycnoclines, haloclines, and thermoclines
a standing waves
forms in closed bodies of water
highest part or top of a wave
crest
wave size is affected by the amount of open water, or the ____ that winds blow over
fetch
tides are caused by
gravitational rotation and pull of the Earth, moon, and sun
what causes high tides on the opposite side of the moon?
centrifugal force
strongest influence on Earth’s tides
moon
the highest that a tide rises in a day
high water level
difference between the highest high tide and the lowest low tide
tidal range
flood tide
a rising tide
where are tidal bores most common?
shallow estuaries
the largest tidal ranges are seen in
narrow basins
spring tides are caused by
Gravitational attraction of the moon and the sun when in line during the full and new moon phases
a full tidal cycle lasts
24 hrs, 50 min
mixed semidiurnal tides
two daily high tides, one higher than the other
prevents tides from moving as a single wave around the world
landmasses and features
spring vs. neap tides
spring- sun and moon in line, gravitational effects add together, difference between high & low tides increases
neap- sun and moon at right angles, effects partially cancel, small difference between tides
