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The strange cycle of spring tides and tides: Why do maximum and minimum tides occur every month?
When the ocean tides rise and fall, many people experience this special natural phenomenon. Tides are changes in sea level caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun on the earth. This phenomenon profoundly affects the ecosystem and human activities along the coastline. During every new moon and full moon, the tides will have the largest tides (spring tides) and the smallest tides (dead tides). These tidal phenomena can be described as a wonderful natural cycle.
The changes in tides reflect not only the gravitational pull of the moon and sun, but also the rotation of the Earth and its relative position to the moon.
Basic concepts of tides
Tides have four main stages: low tide when the water level reaches its lowest point, high tide when the water level gradually rises to high tide, and low tide when the water level begins to decrease after high tide and returns to low tide. This full picture of the process shows how tides are affected by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun.
The magical effect of gravity
When the moon passes over the earth, its gravity pulls the sea water on the side closest to the moon upward, forming a high tide. At the same time, the sea water on the side away from the moon is less affected, resulting in low tide. The varying conditions during the day and night also cause some coastlines to experience two tidal cycles, while other places experience one tidal cycle, which are called semi-diurnal tides and diurnal tides.
Cultural and scientific understanding of tidesEven though tide predictions rely in principle on the relative positions of celestial bodies, changes in wind and air pressure can cause differences in actual tide times and heights.
Human observation and understanding of tides can be traced back to ancient times, when early scholars discovered that tides were related to the movement of the moon. From ancient Greek astronomers to medieval scholars, theories on tides have been constantly overturned and revised, and eventually Newton's law of universal gravitation told the world that tidal phenomena are caused by the gravity of the moon and the sun on the earth. The evolution of these theories has allowed us to better understand the relationship between the ocean and celestial bodies.
The alternation between spring tide and dead tide
The occurrence of spring tide and dead tide is mainly affected by the relative position of the moon. During the monthly tidal cycle, when the sun, moon and earth are in a straight line (i.e. new moon or full moon), spring tides will form and the tidal range will be the largest; when the moon is in the first and third quarters, the setting sun and The gravitational pull of the moon cancels each other out, the tidal range decreases, and a dead tide is formed. This periodic variation makes the range and intensity of tides unique.
Tidal measurement and practice
In oceanography, accurate measurement and prediction of tides is of vital importance. As a tool for measuring sea level, a tide gauge can record water level changes for a long time at a fixed location. The data can help scientists understand and predict tidal patterns and cycles and support coastal planning around the world.
Future Exploration and Thinking
Although our understanding of tides is fairly good, factors such as climate change and rising sea levels may still affect tidal phenomena. This keeps scientists on the lookout for new questions and how tides adapt and change. How will tidal science develop in the future? Will it lead us to a deeper understanding of this natural phenomenon that affects human life?
