Tides and Moon Phases Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What is a Spring tide?

A tide with the greatest difference between high and low tide; the tides are the strongest.

A spring tide occurs when...

The sun and moon are aligned with the Earth.

What is a Neap tide?

A tide with the least difference between low and high tide; the tides are the weakest.

What has the greatest influence on the tides?

The moon. Signup and view all the answers

What causes the tides?

The interaction of Earth, the Moon, and the Sun. Signup and view all the answers

What is high tide?

A bulge that occurs in the Earth's oceans when the Moon is overhead. Signup and view all the answers

What are low tides?

Locations between the bulges where the moon is not overhead. Signup and view all the answers

How many tides occur each day?

Most seashores have 4 tides every day - 2 high tides and 2 low tides. Signup and view all the answers

What is tidal range?

The difference in height between a high tide and a low tide. Signup and view all the answers

Would Earth continue to have tides if there were no moon?

True Signup and view all the answers

What happens during a full moon or new moon?

The sun and moon's gravitational pull work together to create high tides that are very high and low tides that are very low. Signup and view all the answers

During what moon phases do spring tides occur?

New Moon and Full Moon. Signup and view all the answers

During what moon phases do neap tides occur?

First Quarter and Third Quarter. Signup and view all the answers

How long does it take the moon to go from new (or full) moon phase to a quarter phase?

One week. Signup and view all the answers

How often do both spring tides and neap tides usually occur?

Twice a month. Signup and view all the answers

How might knowing when high and low tides occur in an area help?

It helps with beach activities such as beach combing and shelling, sand castle building, and swimming. Signup and view all the answers

The revolution of the moon around the earth takes about...

About one month. Signup and view all the answers

The rotation of the moon on its axis takes about...

29 days. Signup and view all the answers

The revolution of the earth around the sun takes...

One year. Signup and view all the answers

The rotation of the earth on its axis takes...

One day. Signup and view all the answers

What are tides?

The daily rise and fall of Earth's waters on its coastlines. Signup and view all the answers

What are high tides?

When the water reaches its highest point. Signup and view all the answers

What are low tides?

When the water reaches its lowest point. Signup and view all the answers

Which has the greatest gravitational pull on the Earth: the sun or the moon?

False Signup and view all the answers

How long does it take to change from low tides to high tides?

About 6 hours and 12 minutes. Signup and view all the answers

How often do spring tides occur?

Twice a month. Signup and view all the answers

What type of tides occur during spring tides?

Strong tides. Signup and view all the answers

What type of tides occur during neap tides?

Weak tides. Signup and view all the answers

How often do neap tides occur?

Twice a month. Signup and view all the answers

Can we predict tides?

True Signup and view all the answers

What is an Astronomical unit (AU)?

The average distance from the sun to Earth - 93 million miles. Signup and view all the answers

How many AUs is the Earth from the Sun?

1 AU. Signup and view all the answers

What is a satellite?

A natural moon or man-made object that orbits a planet. Signup and view all the answers

What is an ellipse?

An oval. Signup and view all the answers

What is an orbit?

The path of an object in space as it moves around another object due to gravity. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Universe?

All existing matter in space as a whole. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Galaxy?

A group of stars held together by their own gravity. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Solar System?

The collection of 8 planets and their moons in orbit around the sun. Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the galaxy Earth is found in?

Milky Way. Signup and view all the answers

What are Terrestrial Planets?

The inner planets in our solar system (Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars). Signup and view all the answers

What are the Gas Planets?

The outer planets in our solar system (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune). Signup and view all the answers

What is between the Terrestrial Planets and Gas Planets?

An asteroid belt. Signup and view all the answers

What is the surface like on all the Terrestrial Planets?

They all have layers; tectonic plates; volcanism; weathering and erosion; and impact cratering. Signup and view all the answers

What are the Gas Planets like?

These planets are made up of hydrogen, helium, and other gases. Signup and view all the answers

What is the order of the planets?

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. Signup and view all the answers

What are the basic needs of humans when they travel into space?

Food, water, oxygen, ways to deal with microgravity, and protection from radiation. Signup and view all the answers

What are the basic needs of humans if they are to live on other planets?

Food, water, oxygen, shelter, and protection from radiation. Signup and view all the answers

How do telescopes aid the study of astronomy?

They help us to see distant objects, observe other celestial bodies, and understand the origin of the universe. Signup and view all the answers

What are the two types of optical telescopes and how do they work?

Refracting telescopes use lenses to gather light; reflecting telescopes use mirrors to gather light. Signup and view all the answers

What other types of radiation do astronomers use to study stars and other celestial bodies?

Gamma rays, X-rays, ultraviolet, infrared, microwave, and radio waves. Signup and view all the answers

What instruments do scientists use to study the universe?

Telescopes of various types, including optical, radio, X-ray, infrared, and space probes. Signup and view all the answers

What is the link between technology and our ability to explore and travel into space?

Advances in technology help us learn more about the universe. Signup and view all the answers

Earth is the ___________ planet from the sun.

Third. Signup and view all the answers

Rotation means ______________.

To spin. Signup and view all the answers

Seasons are caused by what?

The tilt of the Earth on its axis. Signup and view all the answers

When the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the sun we have what?

Summer. Signup and view all the answers

What happens during the solstice?

The longest and shortest days of the year. Signup and view all the answers

When do solstices happen?

In the summer and winter. Signup and view all the answers

What happens during the equinox?

The length of daylight and nighttime are equal. Signup and view all the answers

When does the equinox occur?

In the spring and fall. Signup and view all the answers

What are the characteristics of Earth that allow it to support life?

Earth has a thin atmosphere, regulates temperature, contains a layer of ozone, and is 3/4th water. Signup and view all the answers

What happens during a lunar eclipse?

The moon passes through the Earth's shadow. Signup and view all the answers

What happens during a solar eclipse?

The shadow of the moon falls on the Earth. Signup and view all the answers

What is a new moon?

The moon is not visible and the moon is between the sun and Earth. Signup and view all the answers

What is a first quarter moon?

Entire right side of the moon illuminated. Signup and view all the answers

What is a waning crescent?

Less than half illuminated on the left side. Signup and view all the answers

What is a waxing gibbous?

More than half illuminated on the right. Signup and view all the answers

What is a full moon?

The moon is full and bright. Signup and view all the answers

What is a waxing crescent?

The right side is the bright side; less than half illuminated. Signup and view all the answers

What is a waning gibbous?

More than half left side illuminated. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Tides

Spring tides occur when the sun and moon are aligned with Earth, producing the greatest difference between high and low tides.
Neap tides happen when the sun and moon pull at right angles to each other, resulting in the least difference between high and low tides.
The moon exerts the greatest influence on tides due to its proximity to Earth.
Tides are caused by the gravitational interactions between Earth, the moon, and the sun.
High tides form when the moon is overhead, creating bulges in the oceans, while low tides exist in areas between these bulges.
Most seashores experience four tides daily—two high and two low.
Tidal range is the height difference between high tide and low tide.

Tidal Cycles

Spring tides occur twice a month during new and full moons, resulting in very high high tides and very low low tides.
Neap tides also occur twice a month during the first and third quarter moon phases, producing weaker tides.
Earth would still have tides if the moon did not exist, but the tidal range would be less due to the sun's weaker gravitational pull.
The cycle from low tide to high tide takes about 6 hours and 12 minutes.

Moon Phases

The moon transitions from the new phase to the full phase in about two weeks.
A full moon and a new moon create strong tidal effects, while first and third quarter phases create neap tides, which are weaker.
The moon's revolution around Earth takes approximately 27-28 days, and it rotates on its axis in about 29 days.

Solar System

An astronomical unit (AU) is the average distance from the sun to Earth, measuring about 93 million miles.
The solar system consists of eight planets, including Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, along with various smaller celestial bodies.
The Milky Way galaxy contains Earth, which is part of a vast collection of stars and celestial bodies.
Terrestrial planets include Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, characterized by solid surfaces and tectonic activity.

Space Exploration

Human needs for space travel include food, water, oxygen, shelter, protection from radiation, and methods to handle microgravity.
Optical telescopes come in two types: refracting (using lenses) and reflecting (using mirrors) to gather light for astronomical observations.
Non-visible light, such as gamma rays, x-rays, and infrared radiation, can be studied with specialized telescopes.

Earth and Seasons

Earth is the third planet from the sun, and its axial tilt causes seasons.
Solstices mark the longest (summer) and shortest (winter) days of the year, while equinoxes signify equal day and night lengths in spring and fall.
Characteristics like a breathable atmosphere, temperature regulation, ozone protection, and ample water make Earth habitable.

Eclipses and Moon Visibility

Lunar eclipses occur when the moon passes through Earth's shadow, while solar eclipses happen when the moon's shadow falls on Earth.
The appearance of the moon changes through phases, including new moon (invisible), first quarter (right side illuminated), full moon (fully illuminated), and various gibbous and crescent phases.

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Description

Explore key concepts related to tides and moon phases with these flashcards. Learn about spring tides, neap tides, and how the alignment of the sun and moon affects tidal patterns. Perfect for students studying Earth science or astronomy.