Tides and Moon Phases: Definitions and Concepts, Quizzes of Oceanography

Download Tides and Moon Phases: Definitions and Concepts and more Quizzes Oceanography in PDF only on Docsity! TERM 1 tides DEFINITION 1 periodic raising and lowering of sea level that occurs daily throughout the ocean TERM 2 barycenter DEFINITION 2 balance point of a system TERM 3 zenith DEFINITION 3 the point on the celestial sphere directly over the observer; point closest to Moon TERM 4 nadir DEFINITION 4 the point on the celestial sphere directly opposite the zenith and directly beneath the observer (farthest from moon) TERM 5 centripetal force DEFINITION 5 center-seeking force that tends to make rotating bodies move toward the center of rotation; provided by gravitational attraction between each planet and the Sun TERM 6 resultant force DEFINITION 6 the difference b/t the provided gravitational force of various bodies and the required centripetal force on Earth; horizontal component of the resultant force = tide-producing force TERM 7 tide-generating force DEFINITION 7 horizontal component of the small force that results from the difference between the required and provided forces; tend to push ocean water into bulges on oppsite side of Earth TERM 8 flood tide DEFINITION 8 rising tide TERM 9 ebb tide DEFINITION 9 lowering tide TERM 10 new moon DEFINITION 10 Moon is between Earth and Sun, not seen at night, "moon in conjunction" TERM 21 waning crescent DEFINITION 21 3rd qtr to new moon TERM 22 perihelion DEFINITION 22 point on the orbit that's closest to the sun (tidal ranges are largest) TERM 23 aphelion DEFINITION 23 most distant point from sun (tidal ranges are smallest) TERM 24 perigee DEFINITION 24 when Moon is closest to Earth (largest tidal ranges) TERM 25 apogee DEFINITION 25 Moon is most distant from Earth (smallest tidal ranges) TERM 26 amphidromic point DEFINITION 26 nodal, no tide, point in ocean or sea around which the crest of the tide wave rotates during one tidal period TERM 27 diurnal tidal pattern DEFINITION 27 one high tide, one low tide each lunar day (common in shallow inland seas) TERM 28 semidiurnal tidal pattern DEFINITION 28 2 high tides, 2 low tides each lunar day (common along US Atlantic Coast) TERM 29 mixed tidal pattern DEFINITION 29 characteristics of both diurnal & semidiurnal tides (most common, including Pacific Coast of North America) TERM 30 rotary current DEFINITION 30 current that accompanies the slowly turning tide crest in the Northern Hemisphere basin and rotates counterclockwise