Chapter 9 Exam 3

Tidal force

Centripetal, gravitational, resultant

Tidal Pattern

diurnal, mixed,

Tidal Current

Ebb, rotary

center of an open ocean tidal system

amphidromic point

largest tidal range in the lunar cycle

spring tide

smallest tidal range in the lunar cycle

neap tide

steep wave front surging up a river as a result of tides

tidal bore

water moving out from an inlet due to approaching low tide

ebb current

The tide-generating force is inversely proportional to the cube of the distance

True

The plane through the ellipse that marks the revolution of Earth around the Sun is called the ecliptic.

True

A lunar day is shorter than a solar day.

False

There is no horizontal tide-generating force on Earth at points directly below and opposite the Moon.

True

The Sun and the Moon have relatively equal tide-generating forces on Earth.

False

The barycenter follows a smooth orbit around the Sun.

True

All else being equal, tides have a greater range when the Moon is at apogee than when the Moon is at perigee.

False

A spring tide occurs once per month

False

A semidiurnal tide is common along the Pacific coast of the United States.

False

The maximum tidal range in the Bay of Fundy is about 17 meters.

True

The seaward flow of water due to tidal forces through an inlet is called an ebb current.

True

The force that pulls an orbiting body toward the center of that orbit is called:

centripetal.

The difference between centripetal forces and gravitational forces is called the:

resultant force.

The center of mass of the Earth-Moon system is called the:

barycenter.

The barycenter follows:

a smooth orbit around the Sun.

The tide-generating force varies:

inversely with the cube of the distance between the objects.

The tide-generating force varies:

directly with the product of the object masses.

Compared with a solar day, a lunar day is:

longer than a solar day.

The angular distance of the orbital plane of the Sun or Moon above or below Earth's equatorial plane is called the:

declination.

A spring tide:

has very high high tides and very low low tides

A neap tide has:

very small tidal range.

Spring tide occurs about:

twice per month.

Neap tides occur:

when the Moon is at quadrature.

When Earth is at its greatest distance from the Sun, it is said to be at:

aphelion.

The side of Earth that faces the Moon experiences a high tide, the side of Earth that is opposite from the Moon will have a(n):

high tide.

The vertical difference between high and low tides is called the

tidal range.

Tidal ranges will be largest when the Moon is at:

perigee.

The center of an open ocean tidal system is called a(n):

amphidromic center.

An area that experiences semidiurnal tides will have:

two high tides and two low tides of nearly equal height daily.

An area that experiences diurnal tides will have:

one high tide and one low tide daily.

The most common tidal pattern around the world are:

mixed tides.

In the United States one can find semidiurnal tides along the:

Atlantic coast.

In the United States one can find mixed tides along the:

Pacific coast.

The Bay of Fundy is well known for which tidal characteristic?

very large tidal range.

Water flowing out of an enclosed basin due to the tides is called:

ebb current.

The maximum tidal currents are reported:

about half way between high and low tides.

Tidal current can produce rotary currents called:

whirlpools.

Which of the following is a tidal current?

both ebb tides and flood tides.