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Chapter 11. Tides
Objectives
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Written accounts of the tides have existed since 450 B.C. when Herodotus concluded that the tides of the Mediterranean Sea were related to the motion of the moon. In fact, tides are generated by the gravitational attraction of the sun and moon on the ocean masses, affecting every particle of water, from the surface to the depths of the ocean basins. In this chapter, we'll examine what causes the tides and look at various types of tidal phenomena that occur in the oceans.
After studying this chapter, you should:
- Understand how centripetal force and gravity imbalances cause the tides.
- Know the difference between a lunar day and a solar day.
- Be familiar with the causes for the monthly tidal cycle.
- Gain an appreciation for the causes of the change of seasons.
- Understand the different types of tides including diurnal, semidiurnal, and mixed.
- Be familiar with tidal currents.
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