Gravity and inertia act in opposition on the Earth’s oceans, creating tidal bulges on opposite sites of the planet. On the “near” side of the Earth (the side facing the moon), the gravitational force of the moon pulls the ocean’s waters toward it, creating one bulge.
What is the result of oceanic bulges?
The two sets of tides are the result of two oceanic bulges, one on either side of theglobe. As the Earth rotates, it passes through these heaps of water, causing the sea above any given point on the seafloor to rise when the point approaches the bulge and to fall when it leaves..
What cause the oceans to bulge near the equator?
The equatorial bulge affects the ocean, too—sea levels are slightly higher in equatorial regions than near the poles. The equatorial bulge is created by the Earth’s rotation . As lines of latitude increase in size, a point has to travel faster to complete a circle (revolution) in the same amount of time.
What causes high and low tides?
The moon’s gravitational pull on the Earth and the Earth’s rotational force are the two main factors that cause high and low tides.
What force causes ocean tides?
The moon’s gravitational pull is the primary tidal force. The moon’s gravity pulls the ocean toward it during high high tides. During low high tides, the Earth itself is pulled slightly toward the moon, creating high tides on the opposite side of the planet.
Why does the Earth bulge in the center?
The Earth is wider at the equator than from pole to pole, mainly because the centrifugal forces of its rotation make it bulge outwards . Satellites can measure its average shape using gravity and altitude data. Over most of the past 20 years, these observations showed that overall the Earth is becoming more round.
Does the ocean bulge at the equator?
The Earth has a rather slight equatorial bulge : it is about 43 km (27 mi) wider at the equator than pole-to-pole, a difference which is close to 1/300 of the diameter. ... But since the ocean also bulges, like Earth and its atmosphere, Chimborazo is not as high above sea level as Everest is.
Where does the water go during low tide?
At low tide, the molecules of water near the beach all move away from the shore a short distance . Equally, molecules of water slightly further out also move away. The effect is that the entire body of water moves away from the shore at an equal rate.
Does centrifugal force causes tidal bulge?
The tidal bulge on the far side of the earth is not caused by centrifugal force . It is caused by the exact same thing the near-side bulge is caused by: the moon’s gravity. Furthermore, tidal effects are not caused by the overall strength of gravity like planetary orbits are.
Why do we have 2 high tides a day?
Because the Earth rotates through two tidal “bulges” every lunar day, coastal areas experience two high and two low tides every 24 hours and 50 minutes. ... This occurs because the moon revolves around the Earth in the same direction that the Earth is rotating on its axis .
What are the 4 types of tides?
- Diurnal Tide. ••• A diurnal tide has one episode of high water and one episode of low water each day. ...
- Semi-diurnal Tide. ••• A semi-diurnal tide has two episodes of equal high water and two episodes of low equal water each day. ...
- Mixed Tide. ••• ...
- Meteorological Tide. •••
How do tides affect humans?
Flooding and Generators
Spring tides, or especially high tides can sometimes endanger buildings and people near the shore, often flooding houses or wharfs. This is not a common occurrence since most buildings are constructed beyond the normal tidal range.
Why do lakes not have tides?
Tides are changing sea levels mostly caused by the moon’s gravitational pull on the Earth. ... Lakes experience the same gravitational pull, but because they are much smaller than seas their tides are also smaller and so more difficult to detect.
What is a very high tide called?
A king tide is an especially high spring tide, especially the perigean spring tides which occur three or four times a year. King tide is not a scientific term, nor is it used in a scientific context.
What are the deepest high tides called?
The highest tides, called spring tides , are formed when the earth, sun and moon are lined up in a row. This happens every two weeks during a new moon or full moon. Smaller tides, called neap tides, are formed when the earth, sun and moon form a right angle.
Where do high tides face?
Answer: You are right in that high tide occurs on the sides of the Earth which face toward and away from the Moon . This is due to the fact that around the Moon is pulling on the Earth, and the ocean, on the sides facing the Moon. The Earth compensates for this pulling by bulging out both toward and away from the Moon.
