What causes the tides ?

Question 1

What causes the bulge on the other side of the world ?

Answer 1

The moon exerts a gravitational pull on the water, pulling it towards it. There is a corresponding bulge on the other side of the world.

Question 2

What causes a spring tide ?

Answer 2

When the sun and moon are aligned

Question 3

What causes a neap tide ?

Answer 3

When the sun is at a right angle to the moon

Question 4

How often is a high tide ?

Answer 4

One every 12 hrs 25 mins

Question 5

How often is a low tide ?

Answer 5

One every 12 hrs 25 mins

Question 6

How often does the tides change in Newquay, Tenby and Abersoch ?

Answer 6

Newquay > 7 hrs 47 mins
Tenby > 8 hrs 45 mins
Abersoch > 10 hrs 35 mins

Question 7

How do the tides vary ?

Answer 7

• The morphology of the sea bed affects the speed of travel
• Proximity of land masses > shape
• Coriolis force

Question 8

What does the coriolis force do ? Give example.

Answer 8

Turns the tides to the right

Southampton has two tides because the Isle of White, which sends the tides around in both directions.

Question 9

What do tides do ?

Answer 9

They determine where the wave breaks, and therefore the energy exerted onto the coastline.