16.2 Waves Waves are energy being transferred through water.

Greater wind = greater waves

Anatomy of a wave

wave period: The time it takes one full wave to pass through a fixed position

crest: top of the wave

trough: bottom of the wave

wavelength: horizontal length between two successive crests

wave height: vertical length between the trough and crest

Wave characteristics are determined by 3 factors:

● Wind speed

● Length of time the wind has blown

● Fetch: distance that the wind has traveled across the water

Waves break when the depth of the water is half as deep as the wave is tall.

Mavericks

Tides

Tides: regular changes in elevation of the ocean surface

● result from the differences in gravitational attraction by the moon and the sun

Tidal range: difference in height between successive high & low tides

Tides

Spring tides: greatest tidal range occurring during new and full moon, when Earth, the moon and the Sun are aligned.

Neap tides: smallest tidal range occurring during 1st and 3rd quarter moons, when gravitational forces of the moon and sun offset each other

1. diurnal tides: one high tide every 24 hours

3. mixed tides: one pronounced high tide & a smaller one

2. semidiurnal tides: two high tides every 24 hours of about the same height

Three main tidal patterns:

Today’s tides