Be Thinking About These Questions During This Inquiry

Inquiry 4.0 Introduction to Tides

Introduction:

Have you ever built a sandcastle on an ocean beach only to find it washed away a few hours later? Every 6 to 12 hours or so in most places along the shore, the water rises and falls in a regular cycle called “tides.” What causes this phenomenon? In this inquiry you will apply what you know about the Sun-Earth-Moon system to the occurrence of tides on Earth. To begin, you will read about the effect of tides on organisms along the shore. Then you will consider how the relative position of the Sun, Earth, and Moon causes ocean tides on Earth.

Be thinking about these questions during this inquiry:

·  How do the times of high and low tides along the Atlantic Ocean change each day and throughout the month?

·  Is the there any relationship between moonrise and moonset times and tides?

·  Does the phase of the Moon affect tides?

Procedures-

Part I - Teacher Demo:

Watch as the teacher picks up the water balloon and rests it in the palm of his hand. Look at the shadow that appears and notice shape that it makes on the board. Now watch as the teacher holds the neck of the balloon. Do you see the difference in the shape of the shadow now appearing on the board?

1)  How did the balloon’s shape change under the influence of the “pull” of Mr. G’s hand and the influence of Earth’s gravity?

2)  How do you think this balloon is similar to the Earth?

3)  What do you think would cause the Earth to elongate (stretch out)?

Part 2 – Reading:

Read “Marching to the Beat of Tides” and answer all of these questions in your spiral:

A.  Name two organisms affected by tidal rhythms.

B.  Explain how “tides are like clocks”.

C.  Why do you think Fiddler crabs are still active during low tides even though they are far away from their natural home in the ocean or the sea?

D.  What are 2 advantages for organisms to come out only during Low Tides?

E.  What are 2 advantages for organisms to come out only during High Tides?

F.  Write down anything that you already know about ocean tides.

G.  Describe a time when you knew what time it was even though you couldn’t see a clock.