15 Facts about Tides You Didn’t Know

15 Facts About Tides You Didn’t Know

When you think about tides, what comes to mind is the beautiful ocean that’s made even more beautiful with the rising tides. I mean, even songs have been written because of how they are. However, tides don’t just happen. There are so many geographical aspects that come into play to make them possible. That’s why we have low tides and high tides depending on these various factors. In this article, we’ll be exploring some of the facts about tides that you didn’t know.

1. Tides are created thanks to a combination of gravitational pull

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Yes, you read it right. There’s a connection between tides and gravity. What happens is that there’s a combination of the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun. This, combined with the rotation of the earth causes a bit of disturbance on the water body hence the tide. Also, because the moon’s gravitational pull is stronger than that of the sun, that’s why the moon is always an important factor when it comes to creating tides.

2. Tides are long-period waves

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In the simplest explanation, tides are typically long-period waves that appear the moment there’s a rise and fall of the sea as they reach the coastline. For instance, a high tide is the result of the long period wave while a low tide is the result of short period wave.

3. Tidal movement is caused by a disagreement between the moon and earth

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Scientifically, the earth usually rotates on its axis once per every 25 hours. The moon on the other hand rotates around the earth once every 27 days. Because of this difference in the timing of the rotation, the moon pulls upwards on the ocean while the earth pulls the ocean downwards. This clash of movement is now what causes tides to happen.

4. The shape of a coastline determines the kind of tide that will occur

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Many oceanic bodies usually experience two high tides and two low tides every single day (some however experience only one). The shape of a coastline and the floor of the ocean is what determines the kind of tide to be experienced.

5. Tidal troughs are separated by about 12 hours

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Almost half a day! That’s how long tidal troughs are separated. This is mostly attributed to the fact that the moon rotates around the earth every day and hence doesn’t stay at the same place, same time every day. Therefore, the high and low tides keep on changing every day by about 50 minutes.

6. Alignment of the earth, moon, and sun causes maximum tides

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It’s rare to see tides in their full glory and anger but it can happen. This happens when there’s an alignment of the Earth, moon, and sun because it causes the most gravitational pull there is. When this happens, you get to have maximum tides which can be dangerous sometimes because there’s no telling how far they’ll stretch.

7. Spring tides are caused by the moon’s rotation being on the same side as the earth and sun

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There are times in the galaxy system when during the moon’s rotation, the earth and sun are on the same side. This especially happens at the new moon and full moon phase hence resulting in larger tidal troughs. The name given to these types of tides is known as spring tides.

8. When the moon’s rotation is at the right angles to the earth, it causes neap tides

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Similarly, there are times during the moon’s rotation when the moon is at the right angle to the earth’s sunline. This is typically at the first quarter and last quarter phase of the moon. It causes interference between the sun and moon’s gravitational pull which results in having weak tidal troughs. It’s the opposite of spring tides.

9. The lowest tide occurs at the deepest part of the ocean

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As mentioned earlier, we have high and low tides. High tides can be as high as 7 feet and they typically occur close to the shore or coastline. These are the kind of tides that are perfect for surfing. The lowest tides however typically occur at the deepest part of the ocean and they are approximately 1.6 feet. They are nonthreatening also.

10. The highest tide in height is in Canada

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Imagine a ride going up to 15 meters. That of course would swallow you whole. The highest tide height difference to ever be recorded is in the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia, Canada.

11. The world’s first tidal power station was built in France in 1966

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Seemingly, humanity understood the power and advantage of tides early enough. In other words, the things tides can be able to accomplish are not a new phenomenon. As seen in France in 1966, they were able to harness the power of tides and built the first-ever tidal power station. This is where the idea of getting electricity from water came from and since then the world never looked back. It is still the same method we use as far as tapping electricity and power is concerned.

12. The word “tide” comes from the Old English word “tid,” which means “time”

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Indeed tides are all about the timing. It is said that in the old days, people would use them to tell what time it was because different hours of the day presented different strengths of the tides. Hence the name given to it which as mentioned comes from an old English word ‘tid,’ that simply means time.

13. Tides play crucial roles in scientific research and exploration

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Indeed, tides continue to play an important role in scientific research and exploration as seen in the discoveries made now and then concerning tides. Scientists who specialize in studying the tides on other planets and moons are learning more about the formation and evolution of the solar system.

14. Many cultures attach various beliefs to tides

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Some cultures in the world have developed traditional practices and beliefs that surround the tides. Such cultures include the Maori of New Zealand who strongly believe that tides are the ebb and flow of life. Hence, to them, tides are associated with energies, vibes, and auras. As far as the energy one has is concerned, according to them, tides have a lot to say about this.

15. Tides are used for aquaculture

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At this point you gotta wonder, what can’t tides do? In some cultures, tidal flats are heavily used in the field of aquaculture. That is the farming of fish and shellfish. In Southeast Asia especially, this is quite huge and appreciated.

Tides are quite interesting especially when you get to learn more about how exactly they happen. The more you learn, the more you realize what an important role the earth’s rotation plays also in making them possible.