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Ocean Tides

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Marilyn Gallo
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336 views

Ocean Tides

Answer

Uploaded by

Marilyn Gallo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Name: Marilyn Gallo Date: 12/20/22

Student Exploration: Ocean Tide


Directions: Follow the instructions to go through the simulation. Respond to the questions and
prompts in the orange boxes.

Vocabulary: gravity, high tide, low tide, neap tide, range, spring tide, tides

Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)

1. You build a sand castle near the ocean. When you return several hours later, the castle is gone. What do
you think happened?

High tide comes in and destroys the sand castle

Gizmo Warm-up: What is a tide?

In the Gizmo, the pane on the left shows the position of the Earth and Moon. The Sun is far off in space to the
left. The person standing on Earth represents the location of the fisherman shown at right.

1. Click Play ( ) and observe the ocean depth for several days. What do you notice?

In the night, the water has a high tide. During the day the water has a low tide. Water also has
a high tide and a low tide.

The rise and fall of water that you see are called tides.

2. Turn on Show value. Click Pause ( ) when the


water is at its highest level, or high tide. What is the
water depth at high tide?

5.2 meters

3. Click Play, and then Pause when the water is at its


lowest level (low tide). What is the water depth at low
tide?

3.6 meter

Reproduction for educational use only. Public sharing or posting prohibited. © 2020 ExploreLearning™ All rights reserved
Activity A: Get the Gizmo Ready:

The Moon and ● Click Reset ( ).


tides

Question: What causes the tides?

1. Observe: Click Play and observe for several days. Try to find a connection between the tides shown at right
and the position of the observer shown at left.

What do you notice?

2. Form a hypothesis: What do you think causes tides?

3. Observe: Click Play, and Pause the simulation at several consecutive high tides. Each time, look at where
the observer on Earth is pointing. Do you see a pattern? What is it?

4. Observe: Observe several low tides. Where does the observer point during the low tides?

5. Extend: Turn on Show tidal bands. The tidal bands show the depth of water at different places (not to
scale). Notice the two bulges that show high tide. Click Fast forward ( ).

A. In what directions do the bulges always point?

B. How does the Moon seem to affect the tidal bulges?

6. Think and discuss: The Moon’s gravity pulls on Earth. How does the Moon’s gravity affect the oceans
closest to the Moon?

Reproduction for educational use only. Public sharing or posting prohibited. © 2020 ExploreLearning™ All rights reserved
Get the Gizmo Ready:
Activity B:

The Sun and tides ● Click Reset ( ).


● Make sure Show tidal bands is on.

Question: How does the Sun affect tides?

1. Observe: Click Fast forward. Observe the shape of the tidal bands. How does the shape change as the
simulation plays?

2. Gather data: Click Reset. Use the Gizmo to fill in the table, recording one high and one low tide each day.
Calculate the range, the difference between high and low tide, for each day.

Range
Day Depth at high tide Depth at low tide
(high tide – low tide)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6

3. Investigate: Tides with the largest range from high tide to low tide are called spring tides. Click Reset to
observe the positions of the Sun, Earth and Moon during a spring tide. Then Fast forward to another
spring tide. (Look for the label in the upper right corner.)

What do you notice about the positions of the Sun, Moon and Earth during spring tides?

4. Investigate: Tides with the smallest range from high tide to low tide are called neap tides. Click Fast
forward, and use the label to help find two periods of neap tides.

What do you notice about the positions of the Sun, Moon, and Earth during neap tides?

5. Conclude: How does the Sun affect tides?

Reproduction for educational use only. Public sharing or posting prohibited. © 2020 ExploreLearning™ All rights reserved

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