What is Tide?

➢ A tide is the alternating movement of seawater

up and down a shoreline. At high tide, the
water reaches the shoreline to the greatest
extent. When the tide recedes the most, it is
said to be low. There may be tides in certain
freshwater rivers and lakes.
➢ The ocean's tides are extremely long-period
waves that move in reaction to the forces of the
sun and moon. The constant rise and fall of the
sea surface is how tides are seen around
beaches, where they begin in the ocean.

What causes Tides?

➢ One of the main forces that causes tides is
gravity. Ocean tides are caused by the sun and
moon's gravitational pull on the earth's oceans,
as Sir Isaac Newton explained in 1687
(Sumich, J.L., 1996).
➢ According to Sumich, J.L. (1996) and
Thurman, H.V. (1994), Newton's rule of
universal gravitation states that the
gravitational pull between two bodies is
inversely proportional to the square of their
distance apart and directly proportional to their
masses. Accordingly, the gravitational
attraction between two objects increases with
their mass and proximity to one another (Ross,
D.A. 1995).

Gravity, Inertia and the Two Bulges

➢ The gravitational attraction between the Earth and the moon is strongest on the Earth's
side facing the moon, simply because it is closer. This attraction pulls the water on the
"near side" of Earth toward the moon. As gravitational force draws the water closer to the
moon, inertia works to maintain it in place. However, gravitational force overcomes it,
and the water is drawn toward the moon, resulting in a "bulge" of water on the near side
(Ross, D.A., 1995).
➢ The moon's gravitational influence is weaker on the other side of the Earth, known as the
"far side," because it is farther away. Here, inertia outweighs gravitational force, and the
water attempts to move away from the Earth in a straight line, resulting in a bulge (Ross,
D.A., 1995).

➢ The combination of gravity and inertia results in two bulges of water. One forms when
the Earth and moon are closest together, while the other forms when they are farthest
apart. Gravity and inertia are relatively balanced across the rest of the planet. Because
water is fluid, the two bulges remain aligned with the moon while the Earth spins (Ross,
D.A. 1995).
Centrifugal Force
➢ Is the apparent force that pushes a rotating object away from the center of the rotation. In
a rotating system, this force acts outwardly, opposing the gravitational pull that keeps the
object in orbit.
➢ As the Earth and Moon orbit around this barycenter, both experience a centrifugal force
thats acts outward from the center of the mass.
➢ On the side of the Earth facing away from the moon, the centrifugal force is stronger than
the moon’s gravitational pull. This imbalance leads to the formation of a high tide on the
opposite side of the Earth from the moon.
➢ On the side facing the Moon, the gravitational pull of the moon is stronger than the
centrifugal force, leading to another high tide. This is why there are two high tides
everyday in most parts of the world.
➢ Centrifugal force contributes to the dual bulges of water on the Earth’s surface- one
facing the moon and on the opposite side.

Tidal Types
➢ refer to the classification of tides based on the frequency and pattern of high and low
tides experienced in a specific location within a 24- hour period ( or lunar day).

A. Diurnal Tides
➢ An area has a diurnal tidal cycle if it experiences one high and one low tide every
lunar day.; successive high and low waters do not vary by a great deal. Such tides
occur, for example, in the Gulf of Mexico, Java Sea and in the Tonkin Gulf
➢ Diurnal tides occur approximately every 24 hours and 50 minutes. This is because
the tidal day, which is the time it takes for the earth to rotate so that the same
point faces the Moon again, is about 24 hours and 50 minutes long.

B. Semidiurnal Tide
➢ This is the most common tidal pattern, featuring two highs and two lows each day,
with minimal variation in the height of successive high or low waters and is very
common along much of the east coast of North America

C. Mixed Tides
➢ Characterized by wide variation in heights of successive high and low waters, and
by longer tide cycles than those of the semidiurnal cycle. Such tides occur, for
example, along the U.S. Pacific coast and many Pacific islands
Tidal Cycles
➢ refer to the regular, repeating sequence of the rise and fall of sea levels (high and low
tides) over time. It describes the timing and periodicity of these tidal events.

1. Spring Tides
➢ A tide with the biggest variance between high and low tides. Spring tides occur
when the Moon is new or full, and the Sun, Moon, and Earth align. When this
occurs, their combined gravitational attraction on the Earth's ocean is increased.
➢ When the sun, moon and Earth are all lined up, the sun’s tidal force works with
the moon’s tidal force. The combined pull can cause the highest and lowest tides,
called spring tides. Spring tides happen whenever there is a new moon or a full
moon and have nothing to do with the season of spring.

2. Neap Tides
➢ When the tide is low, the Moon faces the Earth at a right angle to the Sun, causing
the Moon and Sun's gravitational forces to act against each other. These tides are
known as neap tides, which are low or lower than average. A neap tide occurs
twice a month, during the first and last quarters of the Moon.
References:

Tidal cycles. (n.d.-b). Student Materials.

https://serc.carleton.edu/integrate/teaching_materials/coastlines/student_materials/985

Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words. (2021). In Dictionary.com.

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Cause and Effect: Tides. (n.d.).

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 Tides. (n.d.). Met Office.

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hat%20is%20lower%20than%20average.

What is a perigean spring tide? (n.d.).

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/perigean-spring-tide.html#:~:text=A%20perigean%20spring

%20tide%20occurs,often%20called%20'perigean%20spring%20tides.

FORCE. (n.d.). Frontend-app

https://fundyforce.ca/learning-portal/tides

Tide. (n.d.).

https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/tide/

What are tides? (n.d.).

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/tides.html