Tides Flashcards
What is a tide?
A tide is a very long period wave that moves throughout the ocean in response to the gravitational forces exerted by the sun and moon.
What affects tides?
The gravitational pull of the Sun and Moon
What affects the tides on the opposite side of the planet from the Moon?
A second bulge created on the opposite side of the planet.
What is a Spring tide?
A type of tide that happens twice a month, when the Sun and Moon are aligned and exert the strongest combined force on the Earth on both sides.
What is a Neap tide?
A type of tide that happens twice a month, when the Sun and Moon are at right angles, and exert the weakest forces on the Earth’s tides.
What are the characteristics of a Spring tide?
Highest high tides, lowest low tides, highest energy and greatest tidal range.
What are the characteristics of a Neap tide?
Lowest high tides, highest low tides, lowest energy and smallest tidal range.
What is tidal range?
The difference between high tide and low tide.
Which river has the greatest tidal range in the UK?
The Severn River.
What is the Severn Bore?
It is a tidal bore seen from Gloucestershire all the way to the estuary in Bristol, where rising tides are forced down the funnel shapes Bristol channel and Severn estuary, the surging water creating a series of waves down the river for about 8 miles before the estuary.
What is the highest tidal bore seen in the UK?
2.8 Metres.
