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Waves and Tides

Waves are formed by the transfer of energy from wind to water, creating oscillations that move water particles. Wave height, wavelength, and period describe key properties. As waves approach shore, interactions with the sea floor cause them to steepen and eventually break. Refraction bends waves as they encounter varying depths, and longshore drift transports sediments parallel to shorelines. Tides are the regular rise and fall of ocean waters caused by gravitational pull from the moon and sun. Spring tides during full and new moons produce highest high tides and lowest low tides, while neap tides during quarter moons have smaller ranges.

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96 views21 pages

Waves and Tides

Waves are formed by the transfer of energy from wind to water, creating oscillations that move water particles. Wave height, wavelength, and period describe key properties. As waves approach shore, interactions with the sea floor cause them to steepen and eventually break. Refraction bends waves as they encounter varying depths, and longshore drift transports sediments parallel to shorelines. Tides are the regular rise and fall of ocean waters caused by gravitational pull from the moon and sun. Spring tides during full and new moons produce highest high tides and lowest low tides, while neap tides during quarter moons have smaller ranges.

Uploaded by

umerchawan
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Waves and Tides

By: Immad Alam


Waves
The forward movement of oceans water due to the oscillation
of water particles by the frictional drag of the wind over the
water surface is called waves
Waves form when energy is transferred from moving air to
water
Large waves are formed when wind velocity is high, wind
direction is persistent and the fetch (distance over which the
wind blows) is long
Properties of waves
Wave height is the vertical distance between a crest and a
trough
Wavelength is the horizontal distance from one crest to the
next
Wave period is the time interval between passage of two
successive crests past a fixed point
Wave Properties
Wave Height
Waves of Oscillation
Waves that move water particles in a circular motion
The depth of wave of oscillation is half its length

Waves against the shore
As the waves approach the shore, the orbital motion is
disrupted due to the ocean bottom
Wave becomes a wave of translation


Waves against the shore
Breaker
Due to shallow water, wave is pushed upward
The wave becomes so steep that its crest collapses forward
creating a breaker
Waves against the shore
Surf
From the beach, we can see a series of approaching waves
developing breakers as they advance towards the shore. Such a
sequence of breaking waves is called surf

Waves against the shore
Swash
When a wave reaches the shore, it finally loses its form and
the water slides up the beach in a thinning sheet called swash
Backwash
Water flowing back towards the sea is called backwash
Wave Refraction
Refraction is the bending of waves because of varying water depths
underneath. The part of a wave in shallow water moves slower than
the part of a wave in deeper water. So when the depth under a wave
crest varies along the crest, the wave bends.



Wave Refraction in a coastline with
prominent headlands
Shallow water in front of headlands is reached first
Waves in open area will bend towards headlands and cause erosion
Longshore Drift
Longshore drift consists of the transportation of sediments (clay, silt,
sand and shingle) along a coast at an angle to the shoreline, which is
dependent on prevailing wind direction, swash and backwash

It moves huge amount of sand along the shore


Effects of Waves
Degradation
1. Hydraulic Action
Air enters rocks and joints and gets trapped. It is compressed when
water strikes and decompresses when water recedes. This causes rocks
to erode
2. Corrasion
The mechanical erosion due to small rock fragments in the waves
3. Corrosion
The breakdown of coastal bedrock by solutionor other chemical means
is called corrosion
Aggradation
Beaches, dunes and sandy island
Tides
The periodic rise and fall of all ocean waters, including those
of open sea, gulfs, and bays, resulting from the gravitational
attraction of the moon and the sun upon the water and upon
the earth itself
Forces controlling tides
Gravitational pull of the moon (more effective because moon
is nearer)
Gravitational pull of the Sun

Time Period
Diurnal Tide
Locations with one high and one low tide each day

Semi-Diurnal tide
Locations with two high tides and two low tides
Tides
Spring Tides
When the moon is full or new, the gravitational pull of the moon and
sun are combined. At these times, the high tides are very high and the
low tides are very low. This is known as a spring high tide. Spring tides
are especially strong tides (they do not have anything to do with the
season Spring). They occur when the Earth, the Sun, and the Moon are
in a line. The gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun both
contribute to the tides.Spring tides occur during the full moon and the
new moon
Tides
Neap Tides
During the moon's quarter phases the sun and moon work at right
angles, causing the bulges to cancel each other. The result is a
smaller difference between high and low tides and is known as a
neap tide. Neap tides are especially weak tides. They occur when
the gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun are perpendicular
to one another (with respect to the Earth). Neap tides occur during
quarter moons.

Tides
High Tide
Low Tide

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