Chapter 17, Problem 4FQ

To determine

The number of spring tides and neap tides that occur in each month.

Answer to Problem 4FQ

Two spring tides and two neap tides occur in each month.

Explanation of Solution

The tides are the rhythmic rise and fall of the oceanic surface water. These are the daily changes of the ocean movements. They are of two types.

The occurrence of relatively large high tides and low tides than the normal is known as spring tides. These occur on the new moon and full moon days, where the sun and moon are aligned. This results in the combined gravitational pull which gives larger tidal bulges and larger tidal troughs. These occur every 2 weeks.

The occurrence of relatively lower high tides and low tides than the normal is known as neap tides. These occur at about first and third quarter of a month, when the moon and sun are at right angles to each other. The resulting gravitational pull gives smaller tidal bulges and smaller tidal troughs. These also occur every 2 weeks.