Waves And Tides Flashcards
Tides are caused by:
The gravitational pull of the moon and the sun
Neap tides are when the tidal range is:
At its lowest.
Neap tides occur at what stage in the lunar cycle?
At quarter moons
Spring tides occur at what stages in the lunar cycle?
At the new moon and the full moon
What celestial body has the greatest effect on tides?
The moon
The Fundamental Equilibrium Tide model is:
A theoretical model in which all landmass is
removed from the earth and friction between
the seafloor and the water is removed.
Spring tides are when the tidal range is:
At its highest.
Waves that move freely on the ocean
surface are called:
Progressive waves
Forces that return the ocean surface
to its normal configuration are called:
Restoring forces
The path of a water molecule in a progressive
wave is best described as:
A circular orbit in the direction of the wave
with only a slight net forward movement.
Waves that are static at intervals and oscillate
vertically in between those points are called:
Standing waves
Standing waves are caused when a
vertical barrier is located at ______.
The crest or trough
Wave height is determined by 3 factors. These are:
Wind speed, wind duration, and fetch
Fetch is defined as:
The distance over water that wind blows
in a single direction.
A point of almost zero tidal fluctuation
on the ocean surface is called:
an Amphidromic point
In the wave equation, C equals L divided by T.
What are the variables C, L, and T?
C, L, and T are wave speed, wavelength, and
wave period respectively.
What kinds of waves transmit energy through all states of matter?
Longitudinal waves
The two basic types of wave motion for
mechanical waves are:
Longitudinal and Tranverse
In a _________ wave the particle displacement
is parallel to the direction of wave propagation.
The particles do not move with the wave; they simply
oscillate back and forth about their individual
equilibrium positions.
Longitudinal
(Pick a single particle and watch its motion)
In a ______ wave the particle displacement is perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation.The particles do not move along with the wave; they simply oscillate up and down about their individual equilibrium positions as the wave passes by.
Tranverse
What is eustasy?
The rise and fall of sea level over time.
In an area with mixed semidiurnal tides, how many
high tides occur during most days?
2
When two large waves moving in opposite
directions meet they form a:
rogue wave
The process of creating a rogue
wave is an example of:
Constructive interference
What is the generating force and the
restoring force of sea swell?
The generating force is wind and the
restoring force is gravity.
What is the name for a narrow seaward flow
of water caused by waves breaking in the
surf zone and piling up against the coast?
Rip tide
No matter which direction the wind is blowing,
waves always approach a sloping beach
about what angle to the shore?
90 degrees
What happens to the wavelength as an ocean wave
moves from deeper to more shallow water?
The wavelength decreases
What is the name for tides that occur just after
new moon and full moon, when the gravitation
attraction of the sun and moon act in a direct line?
Spring tide
What are the three main types of ocean waves?
Ripples, seas and swells
What is the term for the tidal current that occurs
when the height of the tide is decreasing?
Ebb tide
An ocean wave will break when the ratio of its height
to its length is greater than what?
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