Student Activity 1
Scavenger Hunt
This is a team activity. Recommended
number on a team = 4.
This is an introductory activity to help you to understand what tides are
and how the moon and sun are responsible for the tides.
Firstly, why not take a look at the moon right now! Click
on the lunar image and away you go!
Let's begin the scavenger hunt and find out alot more about
the moon and the tides. You may already know some answers to these questions.
Great! If so, move on to activity 2. Check with your teacher to make sure
you understand these basic ideas on tides.
Below is a series of questions and some internet links
to help you find the answers to the questions. You may use your text in
addition to any other resources that will help you to answer the questions.
- 1. What causes tides? Are there two low and two high
tides per day everywhere in the world?
- Why the Tide Cycle is Greater than 24 Hours
- McDonald Observatory - StarDate Guide to the Solar System
(Click on moon.)
- Scripps
Institution of Oceanography Library (Click on
"Tide Prediction" under Part 1 of the Table of Contents.)
Introduction
to Astronomy (It takes awhile to download. Scroll down to "Motions
of the Moon".)
-
- 2. Is there a correlation between the lunar phases and
the height of the tides? Is the lunar phase the same the world over? Name
the lunar phases. What are neap tides? What are spring tides?
- The Phases of the Moon for the Current Month
- Activities for Getting to Know the Solar System (Scroll down to "What causes phases of the moon".)
- 3. Why is the gravitational pull of the moon greater
than the sun's? What is the difference between the moon's synodic period
and its sidereal period?
McDonald
Observatory - StarDate Guide to the Solar System
- Introduction to Astronomy
- 4. Why are tide charts kept? How are tides measured?
How do tide predictions compare to actual tides?
PORTS (Scroll down to
"PORTS" and click on it.)
- 5. What factors influence the height of tides? Where
do you find diurnal, semidiurnal and mixed tides?
- What Factors Contribute to Sea Height?
-
- 6. What types of data is the TOPEX/Poseidon sending to
earth?
- TOPEX/Poseidon
PrimeMission Results
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