Tides are long period waves in the oceans caused by gravitational forces from the Sun and Moon. High tide occurs when the crest of the tidal wave reaches a location, while low tide is when the trough arrives. Tides create flood currents during incoming tides and ebb currents during outgoing tides, with the strongest currents occurring near high and low tides. The Moon has a greater influence on tides than the Sun due to its closer proximity to Earth. This causes coastal areas to experience two high tides and two low tides every 24 hours and 50 minutes.

2. Tides are long period waves that move through
the oceans as a result of the force exerted by the
Sun and the Moon.

3.  High tide occurs when the highest part of the
wave, or crest, reaches a particular location.
 In contrast, low tide occurs when the lower
part of the wave, the trough, reaches a
particular location.

4.  Flood – Incoming tide along the coast and into
the bays and estuaries
 Ebb Currents – Outgoing tide
Strongest for both occur near or before high
and low tides.
Weakest currents occur between flood and ebb
currents, called slack tides.

5. High Tide
Low Tide
Tidal Range
Flood Current
Ebb Current

6.  The two celestial bodies that create tides are the
sun and the moon
 Tides are created by the gravitational pull
between the two of them on the oceans of the
earth

7.  Tidal forces are based on the gravitational
attractive force. With regard to tidal forces on
the Earth, the distance between two objects
usually is more critical than their masses.

8.  The sun is 390 times further from the Earth
than the moon.
 Therefore the force is 59 million times less than
the moon.
 Therefore the sun’s force is about half that of
the moon

9.  The “near side” of the Earth is pulled by
gravity due to the moon’s location. The inertia
attempts to counter act this pull, but the gravity
exceeds it, and, therefore, creates a “Bulge”.

12.  The time it takes for a specific site on the earth
to rotate from one point under the sun to the
same point under the sun
 24 hour day

13.  The time it takes for a specific site on the Earth
to rotate from an exact point under the moon to
the same point under the moon
 24 hour and 50 minute day
 The rotation of the earth needs to catch up to
the revolution of the moon, thus the extra 50
minutes

14.  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.

15.  When the moon and the sun line up along the
force line of pull, you have larger tides called,
Spring Tides
 When the moon and the sun are at a ninety
degree angle to each other you have smaller
tides called, Neap Tides